


A Poor Spinner, Her Children, and the King

by TeamTHEFT



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Family, King!Rumpelstiltskin, Romance, Spinner!Belle, pre-dark one, reversed roles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-23 15:48:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 166,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/928308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamTHEFT/pseuds/TeamTHEFT
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU in which Belle is a poor, disgraced cowardly crippled spinner, Rumplestiltskin is the King of the land, and Bae and Rose are Belle's children. When Rumplestiltskin is injured, a kind Belle and her children find him and take him to their hut to help him. Lies are meant to be unraveled, and secrets are meant to be revealed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rumplestiltskin:

Rumplestiltskin was riding through his lands one late August afternoon. He had taken great care to dress as a commoner; he’d learnt long ago he could never truly see how his kingdom was doing unless he appeared much lower than he was. He had left his advisors, his guard, everyone back at the castle.

He had even brought in his friend, Jefferson, to make any major decisions while he was gone. Jefferson was the result of one of these such trips. Because of the trip he had taken, he had found Jefferson, his greatest friend. Jefferson, in return, was eternally grateful; Rumplestiltskin had saved him and his daughter from starvation. 

Rumplestiltskin sighed as he thought about it. There were so many people in his lands he had never seen, people who were starving, being tortured. It was too painful for him to think of, but he knew he must. He didn’t want one starving child in his lands, not one abused woman. He wanted his lands to be full of happiness. Of joy. 

His people were unaware of what he did. No one ever noticed the stranger that would appear for a few days in certain towns and leave. Days later, certain individuals would receive commissions, donations, gold, anything. It all depended on their needs. He generally kept an eye on the families. Only a few times had the families ever not respected his gift. Those were the families with heavy drinkers, gamblers. 

When that was the case, he generally did his best to get the innocent away from the guilty family members. 

He was so busy thinking of the past and where to visit next that he didn’t notice the snake on the forest floor. His horse sure did. The horse bucked crazily the moment its eyes hit the snake. Rumplestiltskin was pulled from his daydream much too late to be able to do anything. He was thrown violently through the air as his horse broke out in a gallop, getting as far away as he possibly could from the slithering creature.

Rumplestiltskin hit the ground with a groan, but before he could even sit up, he found himself falling once more. He had landed on the side of a cliff. 

He was unconscious when he slammed into the ground.

 

Belle:

“Children, hurry up! We need to get to town before nightfall,” Belle lectured her son and daughter as they giggled once more. Bae, her thirteen year old son, had been chasing a butterfly while his three year old sister, Rose, had been mimicking him. At her words, the two stopped and hurried back to their mother. They only halfway home and the sun was sinking fast. Each had an empty basket in their hands. Belle limped alongside of them, cursing her old injury. Her leg always chose the worst moments to act up. Bae, sensing his mother’s pain, wrapped his arm around her waist, allowing her to lean on the boy who was already almost as tall as her. 

“Mama, Rose is hungry,” Bae whispered as the little girl skipped ahead. Belle lowered her head in shame. Of course Rose was hungry. They hadn’t had the money to stop and eat earlier. They had little food in their house. They had received less money yet this time than they had the last market day they had travelled to the nearby village. No one wanted to support a woman like her. Her children could get more money begging in the street than Belle could during honest work.

But Belle would never let her children beg. She couldn’t. She would never make her children do something like that. 

“Mama, Mama! There’s a man over there!” Rose cried out, pointing into the woods. Bae’s eyes widened and he pulled his Mama towards the woods where Rose was pointing. True to her word, there was a man laying unconscious at the bottom of a large drop-off. 

“He must’ve fallen. Stay here. I’ll go get him,” Belle ordered. Both of her children stared at her, Rose in curiosity and Bae in unease.

“I’ll come with you,” Bae said. Belle shook her head.

“Stay here with your sister. I’ll call you if I need your help,” Belle told the boy. He bit his lip but did as his Mama commanded. Belle hobbled slowly into the dense woods, towards the body that lay crumpled on the ground. The man wasn’t moving; Belle was afraid the man was dead and that was the last thing she wanted her children to see. She couldn’t afford to rip away any more innocence from them than what had already been ripped away. 

She approached the man cautiously, getting down onto her good knee before sitting on the ground next to the body. She moved the cloak aside to see the man’s chest rising. She breathed a sigh of relief: he was alive. 

She replaced the cloak and noticed his leg was bent at a funny angle. He had broken it. The poor man. She couldn’t just leave him in the woods, injured. It was inhumane. If it hadn’t been for some kind soul who saved her, four years ago, she may have died in the woods and Rose wouldn’t have been born. 

“Children, come here. I need help,” Belle called softly. Bae and Rose took no time in running through the woods to their mother. Bae nearly tackled her in relief, burying his face into her chest as he sobbed for a moment.

“This man’s injured. We need to get him home so we can help him,” Belle said softly, running her fingers lightly through her son’s tangled hair.

“How can we do that, Mama? We can’t carry him,” Bae protested, staring up at his mother. Belle stared down at the man, an idea forming. She just prayed the man wouldn’t be too mad when he woke up.

“His cloak. We can settle him on it and use a basket to prop up and steady his injured leg and drag the cloak down the road,” Belle suggested. Bae’s eyes widened.

“But we’ll ruin his cloak!” Bae protested. Belle nodded sadly.

“And it is a lovely cloak. However, it’s either the cloak or his life,” Belle stated.

 

Her words rang true. It was hard work, dragging the cloak down the road. Rose had fallen asleep long ago and had wrapped her tiny arms around Belle’s neck. Belle had only one arm to pull with, and Bae was getting tired as well. They dragged the cloak back all through the night. The sun was starting to rise when they arrived at their small hut on the outskirts of town. 

“Bae darling, I know you’re tired, but can you go do the chores? As soon as you’re finished you can sleep as long as you want,” Belle begged. Bae nodded and dutifully went out to do the chores. Belle hated to ask him to do such a thing, but she had to take care of the man and then get started on a day’s work. She laid Rose down on the floor near the empty fireplace. They only had one bed, and she needed to tend the man. She pulled the small blanket from the bed and wrapped it around her daughter before turning to the man who was lying in the middle of the floor.

She was able to drag the cloak next to the bed, but actually lifting him would be a problem. She considered calling Bae in, but decided against it. She couldn’t do that to her poor boy. She stood over him and tried to pull him up by his arms. Nothing. She was about to give up and treat him on the floor when his eyes fluttered open, revealing two hazel eyes that stared up hazily at her.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

An intense wave of pain rushed over him as his eyes opened. His leg was on fire. It was killing him. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes caught sight of a girl standing over him, holding his arms. Her blue eyes widened when they met his.

“Sir, I-I’m trying to get you into the bed so I can treat your leg. C-can you help me?” she asked, her eyes falling from his immediately as she talked. He started to stand but had to bite back a scream from the pain in his leg.

“Don’t use that leg. I’ll move behind you to help,” the girl said softly. She released his arms and walked behind him, wrapping her arms around his stomach to help pull him as he pushed himself up. It took them a few tries but they finally got Rumplestiltskin into the bed. The girl was still behind him, almost underneath him. She struggled to pull free, slipping onto the ground as she did. 

The door burst open seconds after the girl hit the ground.

“Mama! Are you okay?” a boy asked, rushing over to the girl on the floor. Rumplestiltskin stared at the two of them, still slightly delirious from the pain. She looked like only a girl…yet she had a son his age? It seemed illogical. 

“Bae darling, I’m fine. I hate to ask, but can you go get some water?” the girl asked, biting her lip as she did. Her son was out the door before she had even finished the sentence. The girl stood awkwardly before moving towards his leg.

“I’m afraid this’ll hurt. A lot,” she told him, biting her lip still.

He didn’t feel much pain; in fact, he passed out a few minutes into whatever she was doing.

 

When he awoke, the first thing he noticed was a tiny child was laying on the bed at his feet, staring at him curiously. 

“Who are you?” she asked as soon as she noticed his eyes were open. He blinked, staring at the girl. She couldn’t be any older than four. If it wasn’t for the way she talked, he would’ve guessed younger. 

“I’m R…Robert. Robert…Gold,” Rumplestiltskin lied. In all the time he’d travelled, he had never given out his real name. Most peasants didn’t know the name of the king, but he didn’t want to risk anything.

“That’s not your name silly!” the girl said with a laugh. 

“Mama said I have a gift. I can tell when people lie!” she said gleefully. Her words caused the sound of wood to scrape against the floor. Rumplestiltskin glanced over to see the boy from earlier leaving a spinning wheel to make his way over to the bed. The boy looked exhausted. He then noticed that the girl – woman – was lying on the floor by an empty fireplace. He had taken their bed. Their only bed, from what he could see of the place. 

“Rose, don’t bother our guest. And you know what Mama says about telling people that they’re lying,” the boy lectured. The girl lowered her head slightly but shot a smirk at Rumplestiltskin. 

“Am I bothering you, Mister Gold?” she asked, fluttering her tiny eyelashes at him. He nearly laughed. This girl would grow up to be a heartbreaker, he was sure. 

“Rose, go outside and…no. Never mind. Why don’t you play with your doll?” the boy amended quickly. The girl’s eyes lit up at his words. She jumped off of the bed and ran for a small chest in the corner of the room, pulling out a small piece of cloth. He could see straw sticking from it. Still, she clutched the doll to her chest like it was her most valuable possession. It probably was, he reconsidered. 

“I must apologize for my sister’s behavior. I would have her play outside, but Mama doesn’t want her alone. Townspeople don’t like us too much here,” the boy explained grimly to the man. 

“They say Mama’s a bunch of bad words,” Rose spoke up from the corner. The boy shot a glare at the girl before turning back to Rumplestiltskin. 

“Is there anything I can get for you, Mister Gold?” the boy asked dutifully. Rumplestiltskin was hungry, but he could tell both by the state of the children and the state of the house that they didn’t have enough food to spare. 

“What’s your name?” Rumplestiltskin asked. The boy tilted his head slightly.

“I’m Baelfire. But everyone calls me Bae. If you need anything, let me know. I have to get back to spinning,” Bae told the man apologetically.

“You spin?” Rumplestiltskin asked. The boy nodded, a bit apprehensively.

“Mama doesn’t want me to. She says I shouldn’t have to help her support us. But Mama’s so tired. When she goes to sleep, I sometimes get up and spin for her,” Bae admitted. Rumplestiltskin stared at the boy. He had a heart made of gold, to be doing that.

“What about your friends? Do you ever play with your friends?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Before he had been king, he had been raised by his mother in a village and he spent as much free time as he could playing with the other children. 

This was the wrong thing to say. The boy sat down at the spinning wheel and started to spin.

“I don’t have any friends. All of the children tell me that their parents say I ruined my Mama’s life. That if I hadn’t been born, Mama might have been a normal person instead of a coward,” the boy said sadly, staring straight ahead. He seemed to realize too late what he had said. He spun around, eyes wide.

“You can’t tell Mama I said that! She doesn’t know I know,” Bae insisted. Rumplestiltskin stared at the boy, unsure of what to say. The boy turned and went back to spinning at the wheel. Rumplestiltskin used the time to examine the home. It was one room. He was lying in the only bed. There was a fireplace, where the girl was sleeping. In one corner was the chest that Rose was sitting on, cradling her doll.

There was a second chest in the other corner of the room, which he assumed held clothes and such. Then there was a small table with two mismatched chairs. That was all. The place was incredibly tiny, too small in his opinion for a girl and two children. He still couldn’t think of the girl as a woman. She was too young.

“Do you have a father?” Rumplestiltskin asked hesitantly. Bae continued spinning.

“No. Mama never told me who my Papa was, and Rose’s papa….wasn’t a nice man,” Bae said. Rose perked up when she heard her name.

“Bae, when’s Mama gonna wake up? I’m hungry,” Rose whined. Bae’s spine straightened.

“You just ate Rose. Mama’s tired. She’s only been asleep for a little while,” the boy said, his voice strained. Rose shook her head, her brown curls flying.

“No I didn’t,” she argued. Bae was off of the small stool instantly. He was over to the girl instantly, standing over her. The girl didn’t flinch and Bae didn’t grab her arm harshly. 

“We ate breakfast yesterday morning, remember?” Bae asked the girl, his voice barely a whisper. Rumplestiltskin’s heart nearly gave out. Yesterday morning was recent for them? How had he missed this village in his last few runs? He couldn’t stand to have children starving. If only he had his bag with him…it had still been attached to his horse. 

A sharp knock on the door drew all of their attention. It even stirred the girl from the floor. She sat up quickly, eyes wide. She lurched to her feet as Bae ran over to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. He helped her limp over to the door. She was injured, too? Rumplestiltskin seethed at the thought. The first thing he was going to do when he got back to the castle was make sure this family was safe and never needed anything again. 

The girl opened the door to reveal a girl in the doorway, wearing a red cloak. She looked the same age, if not a bit younger than the girl here.

“Hello Belle! Granny sent me by to get our stuff. She said you would have it done by now?” the girl asked, holding her basket loosely. The girl, Belle, lowered her head.

“Actually Red, I haven’t gotten to…” she was cut off by Bae, who ran up to the girl holding a small pile of clothes.

“Here they are!” Bae said happily. Belle turned and stared sharply at the boy. The girl, Red, laughed at the boy.

“Why thank you Bae!” she said, giving him a slight curtsy. 

“I have your payment. And Granny sent some food. She made too much yesterday and said it would go bad,” Red said. Rumplestiltskin watched, curiously, as Belle froze at the words.

“Red, I appreciate it, but…you haven’t been in town that long. You don’t want to be caught doing such a thing for me,” Belle told the girl, her head lowered. Red laughed at the girl and walked inside, pulling Belle along with her. The door closed gently behind them.

“I may not have been in town, Belle, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re raising two children, alone, and supporting them. That’s something to be admired for, not looked down upon for. Plus, you have to understand that Granny and I have our fair share of rumors about us. The least we can do is help another in need,” Red told the girl. Belle did not raise her head still. Red turned and started taking food out of her basket, setting the items on the table. Rumplestiltskin noticed that Belle was clenching her fist the whole time. The items Red pulled out where not items that would go bad. They were basic ingredients, along with some vegetables and fresh meat. 

When Red had finished unloading her basket and filling it with her clothes, she turned around to give Belle some money. She handed the girl some money.

“Did you hear? Apparently the king went missing two days ago. No one’s seen him, but his horse came back earlier this morning,” Red whispered. Belle’s eyes widened, as did Rumplestiltskin’s. Two days? He had been out for two days? 

“I heard that he had been attacked and the horse was the only one to get away. He had to have hurt some of his attackers though. I heard he’s a strong man. It shouldn’t be too hard to find the attackers. Any man recently injured is probably guilty,” Red added. Belle’s face seemed to go even more pale. Rumplestiltskin nearly cursed his luck. He would look like a would be assassin to himself. 

Red turned to leave when she noticed Rumplestiltskin. Her eyes widened.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company!” Red said, her eyes scanning over him. Belle seemed to jump out of her stupor. 

“He’s Bae’s father,” Belle lied swiftly. The room was encased with a heavy silence. Red stared at Rumplestiltskin, as if she were calculating something.

“Bae’s father?” Red asked dubiously. Belle nodded quickly. Red didn’t believe it. Rumplestiltskin wouldn’t have either, if he had been in her shoes. 

“He lives in the town over. When we were there, he asked if he could come with us, to spend some time with his son. He didn’t realize he had a son. He fell on the way here and hurt his leg,” Belle continued. Red stared at him and then glanced at the children. Both seemed equally shocked at her words. 

“How come the children didn’t know about it?” Red asked suspiciously. Belle sighed.

“I was going to break it to them gently. But I didn’t want you thinking he attacked the king,” Belle said. Her lies sounded more real this time. Red seemed to believe her. But it didn’t seem to be the best thing. She stomped over to the bed, glaring angrily down at Rumplestiltskin.

“So you’re the sick bastard that got a thirteen year old pregnant,” Red spat. Rumplestiltskin’s wide eye slid over to Belle, who had glued her own eyes to the ground.

“Twelve, Red,” Belle corrected softly.

“Twelve?” Red questioned, seeming even more mad.

“He didn’t know. I lied about my age. And I never told him,” Belle added once more. Red glared.

“This isn’t the last you’ll see of me,” Red promised, leaving without another word. Belle seemed to collapse on the floor, causing both Bae and Rose to run over to her, helping her back to her feet. She stared at Rumplestiltskin, who still was reeling in shock from what had just happened.

“I am so sorry. She was talking of people being accused of hurting the king…I had to give you an excuse for being here, for being injured. Or they would try to kill you. And I couldn’t stand if I was the reason someone died. That was the only story I could think of,” Belle apologized, her air coming out of her in a rush. Rumplestiltskin pushed himself into a sitting position, wincing as he did. 

“It’s okay. We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Robert Gold,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“I’m Belle. This is my son, Bae, and my daughter, Rose,” Belle introduced. Rose giggled up at the man.

“His name’s not really Robert Gold. He lied,” Rose said. Belle shot her daughter a stern expression before turning to Rumplestiltskin.

“I apologize for my daughter. She can be a handful, sometimes. I hope she didn’t wake you up,” Belle said fretfully. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“It was a bit alarming to wake up to see a girl practically on top of me as she stared at me though,” he joked. It surprised him that he was joking. What was that? Where did it come from? 

Belle cracked a weak smile at his words as well before turning to Bae.

“What have I told you about spinning?” Belle lectured. Bae lowered his head, but Rumplestiltskin caught the triumphant grin that was still on his face.

“I was only trying to help, Mama. You were so tired and I knew Red would be by to get them,” Bae tried. Belle didn’t seem to buy it.

“And your excuse for spinning?” she persisted. He shrugged.

“I was bored?” he tried. He then decided to swoop in from another angle.

“Is Mister Gold really my father or were you lying?” Bae asked. Rose stared at her mother as well.

“She was lying,” Rose said quickly. Belle seemed to hate that question altogether.

“Bae darling, now’s not the time. I’ll tell you about your…father….when you’re older,” Belle promised softly. Rumplestiltskin frowned at the way she stumbled over the words. As if he didn’t have a real father. Rumplestiltskin shook it off, not wanting to think about it.

“Bae, why don’t you and Rose run outside and fetch some water? I want to make sure…Mister Gold is feeling okay,” Belle commanded gently. Bae grabbed a bucket on his way out the door and little Rose ran after him. Belle stumbled over to his bedside, sitting tentatively on the edge of the bed. She felt his forehead, appearing relieved when she realized he wasn’t feverish.

“You probably won’t be able to walk on your own for a long time,” Belle said sadly as she pulled the blanket from him. He saw that she had a makeshift splint around his leg, that it had been cleaned as well. His doctors would have done better, had he done this in his own home. However, she did better than he could have done.

“Are you a nurse?” he asked, glancing back up at her. She blushed and shook her head, eyes gluing themselves to the bed.

“I’m nothing more than a poor disgraced spinner. I just…knew how to do that. I did it to myself four years back,” she explained, gesturing to her injured leg. Rumplestiltskin felt a lump form in his throat.

“Four years ago?” he asked, trying to keep the horror from his voice. She glanced up, shocked.

“Yes sir. I would take you to the village doctor but I’m afraid I don’t have the money for it,” she admitted. Rumplestiltskin thought for a moment.

“How often do letters go out from this village?” he asked. 

“Once a week. They went out this morning. Is there someone you need to write?” Belle asked curiously. Rumplestiltskin nodded.

“I’ll write to a…friend of mine. He can come get me,” Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle stood slowly and made her way to the spinning wheel and started spinning just as Bae had been earlier. 

“Have you no husband to take care of you?” Rumplestiltskin called out. The girl faltered but continued spinning.

“There was to be one of them, once,” Belle said softly. Rumplestiltskin examined the girl. She was very pretty, of that he could tell. She was so loving. Yet, for some reason, the people of the town hated her, shunned her. Any man should be lucky to get a wife that not only looked like her, but had such a compassionate heart as hers as well.

“What happened?” he asked. He knew he was pressing his luck, he knew he was being quite rude, but he had that desire for knowledge.

“I was a coward. He was going to marry me, despite me already having a son. But when the war struck and all the men in town volunteered to go, I begged him not to,” Belle explained sadly. Her voice was so detached, Rumplestiltskin wondered if she even realized she was telling him her story.

“He called me a coward and told the town he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. Told his buddy that he could take me then,” Belle said. Her hand drifted absently down to her injured leg before she snapped out of it.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything,” Belle said quickly, realizing what all she had told him.

“His buddy….was he Rose’s father then?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Belle nodded.

As if speaking had conjured them, Rose and Bae chose that moment to run in the hut, Bae carrying a sloshing bucket of water. Belle stared at the food on the table before smiling at Bae.

“If you and Rose can get a fire started we’ll have soup for supper,” Belle promised. Her words caused the two to rush outside. Belle left her wheel to approach the second chest. She pulled out of it a cast-iron pot. It was heavy; he could see how she struggled to get it to the table. Once it was on the table, she poured a good amount of the water into the pot before picking up a knife from the chest. She cut the meat up into small pieces and dropped it in the pot before moving on to the vegetables. She only cut up a third of the vegetables, Rumplestiltskin noticed, and she cut everything into tiny pieces. The amount of food she put in the pot couldn’t have been enough for two bowls of soup he would eat at home, but things were different here.

He knew the moment he got back, this family would never experience poverty again.

 

Belle:

The next morning when she went to the market, she could hear the whispers. She was used to normal whispers, but now the whispers were more malicious. Red must’ve told someone about Mister Gold.

She hurried to the fabric store with her satchel full of spools to sell. Today, no one would buy from her. Absolutely no one. Someone so much as suggested she have the new man of hers take care of her. 

She was nearly in tears by the time she made it back to the hut. She needed more money. The coins Red had given her wouldn’t last long, nor would the food. She could make the food last two days at the most. The extra mouth would be there for two weeks minimum. And the children? They desperately needed new clothes. Their clothes were much too small, especially Rose’s. She had noticed that this morning when she was helping Rose into her dress. Bae had been hiding the fact that his clothes were too small for awhile, and it took seeing Rose’s too small dress to make her realize it. 

She wiped her eyes before entering the hut, not wanting to let the children see her crying. The children, much to her surprise, were sitting on the bed next to Mister Gold. He was reading them something….a book? She didn’t own any books. He must’ve had a book on him at the time. She hadn’t seen a book.

When the children saw her, they jumped from the bed. Bae’s eyes held worry, especially after they saw her still full basket. He hugged her tightly, his head almost not fitting under her chin anymore. When he pulled back, Rose held up her arms, hoping to be picked up. She had tear stains down the side of her face. Belle picked the girl up, noticing instantly that the worn sleeve was nearly detached. It looked as if someone had crudely taken a needle and tried to stitch it back together in a short period of time. 

“Rose, what happened to your dress?” Belle asked. Rose hiccupped slightly.

“I tripped and it ripped! I’m sorry!” she cried. Belle nearly fell apart at the desperation in her daughter’s voice. The dress was threadbare. Belle had been adding on to it since Rose was 18 months old. The dress was half as old as Rose herself. It wouldn’t do. Belle sat the girl down. 

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll make you a new dress,” Belle said decidedly, her jaw set. Rose appeared excited for a moment before glancing over at her brother.

“Have you eaten yet?” Belle asked. Both children stared up at her, confused.

“Eaten? But we ate yesterday?” Rose asked, confused. Belle shook her head.

“We have food. While we have food, you two will eat at least once a day,” Belle said, picking up the two bowls they owned. She moved the pot onto the fire so it could heat up again. 

“How are you feeling, Mister Gold?” Belle asked him as she turned back around. He glanced at her, his eyes thoughtful. 

“I’m doing great. I was wondering if, um,” he drifted off for a moment, looking awkward. Belle moved closer, trying to gauge what he needed.

“Do you need to relieve yourself?” she finally asked. He nodded gratefully as Belle sat down on the bed next to him, helping him swing himself around so his good foot was on the floor and his bad leg was next to her. 

“Bae darling, watch the food please,” Belle called out. It was a struggle, but they made it to the door.

“We only keep a chamberpot during the winter. I’m sorry. I should’ve asked you long before now,” Belle said, feeling quite embarrassed. Mister Gold shook his head, smiling down at the girl.

“Don’t worry. Bae helped me a few times already,” Mister Gold explained. Belle nodded. 

“Do you have a family, Mister Gold?” Belle asked as they slowly walked into the woods. 

“I had one. Just like you. My wife gave birth to my son and ran away with him. We found her body a week later but never found my boy. He must’ve died, unless some kind soul took him in,” Mister Gold shared sadly. 

Belle was struck by horror. It reminded her so much of…no. No, she couldn’t think of anything. 

“How old would your son be?” Belle asked. 

“Thirteen. Same age as your boy. Maybe that’s why I like your boy so much. I wish my boy would’ve been like him,” Mister Gold said sadly. He stopped walking suddenly, turning to face her.

“I’ve never told anyone that. How is it that you can get that information out of me when no one else can?” he demanded, seeming more scared than actually angry. Belle shook her head.

“Same way you pulled parts of my story from me the other day. I hadn’t told anyone about that either,” Belle admitted. Mister Gold frowned down on her. 

“This is a good spot. I’ll move a few trees away so you can have privacy,” Belle said quickly, disappearing from his side before he could protest. He was grateful he was next to a tree that he could lean against as he relieved himself. He called out as soon as he finished, grateful to find her instantly at his side. 

“Bae told me about…you. The boy thinks it’s his fault,” Mister Gold found himself saying. Belle stumbled at his words. It broke her heart to hear that.

“It isn’t. It was my choice,” Belle swore. Mister Gold nodded. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you keep him? What made you decide to keep him? You had to know what would happen if you did…” Mister Gold prodded. Belle nodded.

“I couldn’t just leave him. He looked so helpless,” Belle said. Mister Gold’s steps faltered. 

“So you weren’t going to keep him until you saw him?” Mister Gold asked, stopping abruptly. Belle stopped as well. Realizing her mix-up of words. And realizing that she had given part of her biggest secret away. 

“I was going to give him away after I had him but couldn’t,” Belle lied, trying to salvage what she could. Mister Gold didn’t move. 

“You’re lying,” he said softly. They were nearing the hut now. She didn’t dare meet his eyes.

“What do you want me to say?” she finally bit out. He stared at her, his hazel eyes unwavering. Eyes that looked so achingly like Bae’s that it drove her crazy.

“The truth would be nice,” he said wryly. Belle felt a fury grip her from deep within. 

“The truth? The truth? I don’t want to hear you ask for the truth! I don’t even know who you really are! For all I know, you killed the king. For all I know, you are the king! Your name’s not Robert. Rose already said that. And Rose knows. You can’t fool her. Unless you’re willing to tell me the truth, I’d suggest not asking for me to tell the truth,” Belle finished, feeling exhaustion creeping over her bones. 

“Okay.”

Belle’s head jerked up and she turned to face the man. His arm was still wrapped around her, a crutch for him. Her movement would have made them nose to nose if they were the same height. They were not. He was taller. 

“Okay what?” she asked testily.

“Okay. You tell me the truth and I’ll tell you the truth,” he said softly. Belle snorted.

“Only one person ever knew the truth and he was far from honorable. How can I know you won’t be the same?” she shot at him. She knew that fear was irrational. But it was still there. It had taken root in her heart and nothing could flush it away. 

“Let’s start out with an easy question. Who was the one person to know the truth?” Mister Gold asked her.

“The man who raped me. Rose’s father,” Belle said, locking her emotions up the best she could. Mister Gold stared for a moment, as if trying to mentally connect the dots.

“Imagine his surprise when he got a virgin while expecting a woman who had given birth before,” Belle said bitterly. She slid to the ground, taking Mister Gold with her. She was too tired to even stand anymore. 

“Bae’s not your son,” Mister Gold said, his voice flat but understanding at the same time.

“I found him in the woods. He looked…perfect. No one was around. He’d been abandoned. I had been sick for the last four months. My parents had just died. So when I walked into town carrying a baby, everyone assumed it was mine. By the time someone asked, I’d fallen in love with him too much to admit he wasn’t. From then on, I was considered a whore. But I had Bae.”

The words had come gushing out, as if some dam had been busted inside of her. Mister Gold stared at her, unblinking.

“You gave up your reputation, your chance to have a normal life…for a baby you found abandoned in the woods?” he asked, his voice low. Belle nodded, but couldn’t bring herself to be miserable.

“It was the best decision I ever made in my life,” she admitted.

“When was it?” Mister Gold asked anxiously.

“When was what?” Belle asked dumbly.

“When did you find the baby?” he repeated.

“December. It was much too cold for a baby to be alone in the woods,” Belle said. She remembered that date; it was the same date she celebrated Bae’s birthday on.

“December 14th,” she elaborated. Mister Gold’s face turned ashen. 

“My wife ran away the twelfth of December. We found her body the fifteenth,” Mister Gold said, his eyes wide. Belle’s eyes widened as well. She scrambled away from him.

“No! No, you can’t have him. He’s mine,” Belle swore, eyes full of fury. Mister Gold hadn’t been expecting that. He especially wasn’t expecting the girl to tackle him and pin him to the ground.

“Bae is mine. I found him. I raised him. He’s my son,” Belle said vehemently, her face close to his.

“Is that why you’re here? To take my son from me?” she hissed. Mister Gold stared, shocked, at the girl on top of him. What had happened to the shy, ashamed spinner with a pure heart that had rescued him? 

Easy. He had threatened her son. Mama Bear always comes out to attack anyone who threatens to steal her children.

“I’m not here to do anything, Belle. I was injured and you took me in. But I do want to get to know my son, now that I have found him,” Mister Gold said stiffly. The girl took no notice. 

“He’s MY son,” she hissed, her voice sounding near desperation. Mister Gold stared up at her for a moment, his eyes turning cold.

“You wanted to know my secret as well? Guess what? I’m the King. Rumplestiltskin, at your service. So technically, if I want to get to know my son, I can do that. Hell, if I want to take my son, I can. Because I’m. The. King,” Mister Gold spat out at her. Belle stared down at him for a moment. As if the words were still soaking in. But the moment they did, her eyes widened in horror. Right before tears started to form in them. 

She didn’t even move off of him. She just seemed to curl herself into a ball, all the while still straddling his stomach.

“You can’t have him. You’ll have to kill me first,” she cried. Mister Gold was at a loss. He wasn’t accustomed to crying women, especially not crying women sitting on top of him. He was torn between trying to comfort her and telling her to get off of him. His leg was aching in pain. 

“Can you get off of me? I can’t exactly move on my own,” Mister Gold finally said gruffly. Those were the wrong words to say. Belle glanced up at him, a new light in her eyes.

“You can’t move on your own,” she repeated. A sinking feeling settled in Mister Gold’s stomach. 

Belle stared down at the man, inner conflict tearing through her. He couldn’t move on his own. She could leave him out there, or drag him farther into the woods. He would disappear. Bae would be safe, with her. 

Still, that voice in her that refused to be quieted would not have it. He was still a human, too, and deserved basic rights. Even if he was going to take her son from her. Or try to. He had the right to live. Plus, he was the king.

He was the king. The king of the land. She couldn’t kill him. And she couldn’t oppose him. 

“Let’s make a deal,” Belle said suddenly, eyes finding Mister Gold’s – Rumplestiltskin’s – instantly. The conflict dissipated from her eyes as she met Mister – Rumplestiltskin’s gaze.

“What kind of deal?” he asked skeptically. 

“I will keep your secret. Continue to watch over you. Not leave you to die out here. And you promise you will never, ever take my son from me,” Belle said. She could see the hesitation that played in his eyes. Of course. But Belle was unwavering. He was HER son, hers. Not his. Never his.

“Deal. Now can we get back to the house before you injure me anymore?” Rumplestiltskin asked sarcastically. Belle stood awkwardly, ignoring her leg. She reached down and grabbed his hand, pulling him up with his help. When they were finally ready to move again, Belle quickly wiped any remnants of tears from her face.

“How do I know you’ll keep your word?” she asked hesitantly.

“I can write you up a contract and sign it,” he stated dryly. Belle shook her head quickly.

“I can’t read,” she said impatiently. Mister Gold – Rumplestiltskin – sighed.

“Of course you can’t. Just know that I never break deals, dearie,” he said. She felt uneasy but had no other options. They slowly limped to the house. It was uneasily silent. Belle opened the door to see Rose in Bae’s lap, crying. Belle immediately closed the door and pulled from Rumplestiltskin, rushing to their side. She stopped just short of them when she caught Bae’s glare. Directed at her. 

She froze. Her son had never glared at her. Ever. 

“You lied to me,” Bae said, his voice quivering with venom. Belle flinched, taking a shaky step backwards. Bae rose quickly, still cradling Rose to his chest. 

“You lied to everyone. You could’ve been happy. I really did ruin your life, and you let me,” Bae said bitterly. 

“You were listening,” Belle said, her voice feeling detached. Bae nodded. 

“We heard everything. About how Rose’s papa hurt you, about how I’m the king’s son, about how he wants to take me away,” Bae spat. He took another angry step forward. Belle stumbled to the floor, staring up at her angry son in horror. 

“You ruined your life for me! For a baby in the woods! Why would you do that? You should’ve had a happy life!” Bae shouted, dropping Rose onto the bed before descending on Belle. Before he could stop himself, he’d kicked her. Hard. His fury coiled deep inside of him, wanting to spring lose again.

“Why couldn’t you have just left me and been happy? You could have been happy! And I ruined that for you!” Bae continued. His hands found themselves around her neck as his words ripped out of him. The horror in Belle’s eyes to see her gentle son snap seemed to scare even Bae. He stiffened, his hands still locked around his mother’s neck. Until a hand fell on his shoulder. Mister Gold. Or, as Bae now knew, Rumplestiltskin.

“You shouldn’t lay hands on a woman. Especially not your mother,” Rumplestiltskin lectured, his tone attempting to be light but failing. The words caused Bae to release Belle, only for him to turn on Rumplestiltskin.

“You! It’s all your fault! You ruined her life! If you hadn’t scared off your wife, my birth mother, Belle could have been happy!” Bae screamed, lunging at the man. Rumplestiltskin fell to the ground. 

Bae was on top of him in an instant. Before he could throw his first punch, two arms pulled him back. 

Belle pulled her strong son away from the king, wincing as the pain from where he had kicked her spread. 

“Baelfire, I am happy. I’ve been happy since the moment I found you,” Belle told the boy, pulling one of her arms from around him to gently run her fingers through his hair. It had been the only thing to soothe him, as a child. 

“But you didn’t have to keep me. I really did ruin your life,” Bae sobbed, turning around so he was wrapped in his mother’s embrace. 

“Sh. You ruined nothing. You and Rose are the only happy things in my life. And don’t worry. Rumplestiltskin promised he would never take you away from me,” Belle told the boy. Bae wrapped his arms around her, burying his fingers in her hair as she had his. Rose stared, feeling left out, but both of Belle’s arms were occupied. To her utmost surprise, Rose ran over to Rumplestiltskin and hesitantly wrapped her arms around him. He hobbled to the bed and sat down, the girl still clutching him. She crawled into his lap as soon as he had sat down and he shot a terrified look at Belle.

Tentatively, Rumplestiltskin hugged the girl back, running a hand through her messy curls just as Belle was doing to Bae. For one single moment, they looked like a family.

And then that moment ended.

A sudden loud knock on the door caught all of their attention. Without waiting for the door to open, Red burst in, chest heaving, eyes wild.

“Belle! Someone’s here, looking for your lover! He even had an image of him! We have to get you out of here!” she said. Belle’s eyes widened in fear.

“We just need to hide him. No one knows about me,” Belle said, trying to make her voice calm. Red shook her head.

“Someone mentioned that a stranger had come to town and was staying with you. They looked interested to hear that!” Red cried. Rumplestiltskin tilted his heads at her words.

“What did the men look like?” he asked. 

“The leader had on a black hat. All black. He seemed….a bit mad. And there were two other men with him, obviously under him,” Red explained. Rumplestiltskin chuckled.

“Don’t worry. They aren’t here to hurt me,” Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle stared at him.

“It’s my dear friend Jefferson. The Mad Hatter, as he’s better known,” Rumplestiltskin elaborated. Red’s face turned ashen.

“The acting king is here searching for you? You really did attack the king, didn’t you?” she accused. Before Rumplestiltskin could utter another word, someone else did for him.

“He is the king, wolf-girl,” a man’s voice corrected from the door. Jefferson. The man strolled in the place as if he owned it. When he saw the state Rumplestiltskin was in, he chuckled.

“You really do look like you were attacked, dear friend. Is this where you’ve been hiding?” he asked, glancing around the hut with what Belle assumed was distaste, until his eyes fell on her. It wasn’t distaste; it was comfort. The place reminded him of his old home.

Rose scurried off of Rumplestiltskin’s lap, running over to Belle. Bae had pulled away from her to see the man who had entered, and Rose gladly took his place. 

“Belle, Red, Bae, Rose, this is my friend Jefferson, the Mad Hatter. Jefferson, this is Belle, her friend Red, her daughter Rose, and her son, Bae, who also happens to be my son,” Rumplestiltskin explained with the lazy flick of a wrist. Jefferson’s eyes glued themselves to Bae. 

“You found your son. I thought we’d both agreed he had more or less died,” Jefferson said, trying to sound condescending but Belle could tell he was secretly pleased. Rumplestiltskin shrugged.

“She found him and took him in as her own,” Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle’s face turned red. He was telling this, her huge secret, in front of Red. Everyone in the town would soon know. Jefferson’s eyes hit her.

“You, m’dear, look much too young to have a thirteen year old son. How old are you? Twenty?” he asked.

“Twenty-six,” Belle shot back. Jefferson didn’t appear to believe her, but shook his head anyways. 

“Well, I sent my, I’m sorry, your men, to procure a wagon, when I heard there was an injured man here. I’m assuming the boy’s coming back with us as well?” Jefferson asked. 

“NO!” Belle screamed instantly, pulling Bae close to her and glaring ferociously at Jefferson and Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin sighed.

“I made a deal with the girl, that I wouldn’t separate her from the boy. We’re all coming back,” Rumplestiltskin announced. Belle’s fingers dug into both Bae and Rose at the words.

“You said you wouldn’t take my boy from me,” Belle accused. Rumplestiltskin’s lips formed a smirk.

“And I’m not. I’m taking all of you. Here’s the thing about deals; you should be careful how you phrase them. After all, I’m still sore over you trying to kill me,” Rumplestiltskin stated sourly. Belle’s eyes widened as she fought to keep the tears down.

“But you’d be taking Bae away from his friends!” Belle protested. Rumplestiltskin glanced at the boy, who had stiffened at her words.

“Bae, why don’t you tell your Mama what you told me yesterday, was it?” Rumplestiltskin asked the boy lazily. Bae didn’t dare open his mouth.

“Bae doesn’t have any friends. Apparently their parents all told them that Bae ruined your life,” Rumplestiltskin drawled. Belle gasped and tried to pull the boy close to her, but he pulled away. 

“We’re happy here,” Belle tried, failing to squelch the tears this time. Bae spun on his mother.

“No you’re not! You’re not happy, Mama! How much longer will it be before someone else decides to hurt you again? You can’t afford to take care of me and Rose! How will you take care of another baby?” Bae yelled. Belle flinched, pulling Rose to her. Rose, who didn’t quite understand.

“Every time you get hurt, you have a baby?” Rose asked, her face scrunching up in confusion. Belle nearly cried.

“No baby, that’s not what happens,” Belle tried, but her daughter wouldn’t leave it alone.

“It’s that other word. That you used in the wood. Rape?” Rose asked, testing the word casually. Belle’s vision swam.

“Rose darling, that’s a bad word. Please don’t use it,” Belle begged. 

“As touching as this is, I need to get back to the palace. And so does the king. So whatever you plan on taking, you’d bettered pack it quickly,” Jefferson commanded. Belle’s tears fell freely. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak as she attempted to rise. Her weak leg gave out on her, causing her to fall back to the ground. Red came to her aid, as did Bae. They helped her over to one of the two chairs.

“Sit, Mama. I can pack for us,” Bae said gently. He hurried over to the first chest, pulling out two knapsack. Rumplestiltskin noticed how hard it was for the boy to move with so many people in the small area.

“Jefferson, why don’t we wait outside and let them pack in peace?” Rumplestiltskin asked. 

 

Rumplestiltskin:

 

Rumplestiltskin allowed Jefferson to help him out of the house, followed closely by the other two men. They sat down along the side of the road. Even from this distance, Rumplestiltskin could hear Belle crying. 

“I missed a lot in these last few days,” Jefferson noted wryly, staring at his face. Rumplestiltskin nodded.

“I was thrown from my horse, and lost consciousness. Woke up when Belle was trying to lift me into their only bed. Fixed up my leg. Fed me, despite barely having enough food for themselves. Don’t think I saw her eat anything actually. I learned that Bae is my son. When that happened, she went from being gentle and kindhearted to nearly psychotic,” Rumplestiltskin shortened. Jefferson stared at him for a moment.

“I can’t blame her. If I’d found Grace as a baby and raised her as my own, only to meet one of her parents, I would’ve more or less tried to kill whoever they were, especially if they expressed interest in her,” Jefferson whistled. Rumplestiltskin glanced down.

“Well I may have threatened to take Bae away,” Rumplestiltskin admitted. Jefferson glared at his longtime friend.

“And she didn’t kill you? She must have the biggest heart in the lands,” Jefferson said. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“She’s devious too. Made a deal with me. She said she’d spare my life and continue taking care for me, keeping my secret, as long as I swore I’d never take Bae from her. Which is why we’re taking the whole family. We both know I don’t go back on deals. And I’m afraid that, now I know he’s alive, I don’t ever want to leave him,” Rumplestiltskin admitted. Jefferson’s eyebrows knitted together.

“How are you going to introduce her to court? This is a rather precarious situation. After all, what will people think? We have to consider the will of the people,” Jefferson reminded him. Rumplestiltskin thought for a moment.

“What could I introduce her as? What options do I have?” he asked. Jefferson stared, unperturbed, at him.

“The most logical choice is your fiancée. We both know they’ve been wanting you to remarry for years. It would sate everyone. You could introduce her as Bae’s savior, but that would get her little more than a servant’s quarters. Being king doesn’t mean you can have everything. Or you can give her a small cottage in the village and make her bring Bae to visit you occasionally,” Jefferson suggested. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“I want Bae to be reinstated as my heir. You will remain the second in command until he’s old enough, but I want my son to take over,” Rumplestiltskin decided. Jefferson stared hard at him.

“You can’t claim Belle as Bae’s mother then. She won’t be given those rights. Everyone knows you had a son with Milah. You would have to pretend Bae is younger than he is. That, after Milah left you, you took a mistress. It would explain all of your excursions. It would also explain why you are now taking her in as your new wife,” Jefferson schemed. 

“Wife? I never agreed to that. She doesn’t love me, and I don’t love her,” Rumplestiltskin said drily. Jefferson shrugged.

“What king has ever been given the right to marry for true love?” Jefferson shot at him.

“King Leopold did,” Rumplestiltskin threw back. A wagon pulled up in front of them.

“We should at least ask her,” Jefferson persisted.

“Ask me what?” Belle’s voice asked from behind them. Both men glanced over their shoulders to see Belle standing in the doorway, a knapsack on her back and a sheet holding a few items in her one hand while Rose was perched on her other hip. Bae had another backpack on his back. Belle embraced Red.

“You and Granny can take anything else. It’s not much, but I would appreciate it if they would go to use. And please visit me,” Belle begged. Red smiled at the girl.

“Of course I will!” she promised. Belle turned back to the two men, who had by this point struggled to their feet. 

“The king and I were just discussing our predicament. Why don’t we get going? We can discuss it on the way,” Jefferson suggested smoothly. Belle’s smile slipped and she nodded tersely. Rose was sucking on her thumb, regarding the men suspiciously. Jefferson and one of the guards helped Rumplestiltskin into the wagon before Bae jumped in. Before helping Rose and Belle, Jefferson pulled out a small candy from his pocket, offering it to Rose. She stared dubiously at his hand, unsure of what it was. He chuckled at the little girl.

“It’s a candy. My daughter used to love them,” he told her. He unwrapped the small candy and gently pulled her thumb from her mouth, replacing it with the candy. The girl’s eyes widened in joy as the candy must’ve given her taste buds the best experience of their short lives.

Belle seemed apprehensive about it but allowed Jefferson to all but pick her and Rose up and set them next to Rumplestiltskin before climbing in as well. The wagon began as soon as the four of them were seated, Rose still standing slightly. She tumbled into her mother’s lap when the wagon started going, causing her to remain there. Bae didn’t seem comfortable either. 

In fact, Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow when the boy shoved his sister off of Belle’s lap, only to take her place. He then picked up Rose and held her himself. Belle smiled unconsciously, wrapping her arms loosely around the children.

“We do have something to discuss,” Jefferson began. Rumplestiltskin noticed the minute tightening of Belle’s hands at his words.

“If we introduce you as the woman who raised Bae, the best we can do is place you in the servant’s quarters. Rumplestiltskin plans on making Bae his heir, and you would only get to see Bae on rare occasions,” Jefferson explained. Belle’s face ashened and she shook her head violently. Bae mimicked her.

“She’s my Mama. I’m not leaving her,” Bae announced. Jefferson glanced at Rumplestiltskin.

“The second option is less desirous. You would get a cottage for you and your daughter, and would get to see Bae once a week or so,” Jefferson continued. This suggestion also seemed to terrify the girl.

“Is there a third option where I get to see Bae always?” she asked. Jefferson hesitated, staring at Rumplestiltskin. 

“The third option would be for us to lie. Pretend Bae is twelve instead of thirteen. Say that, once his wife had been killed, he took a mistress. He could even claim Rose. If that were the case, we would introduce you as his betrothed, his fiancée,” Jefferson explained. Belle stared at him.

“If I agreed to be the fiancée, I would get to be with my son, all the time?” she asked. Rumplestiltskin started at her words. Jefferson glanced to Rumplestiltskin, indicating that it was his turn to talk.

“I don’t think you understand. If you agree to be my fiancée, the court will expect us to marry within a year. You would be forced to act as queen,” Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle stared at him blankly. 

“If it means I get to still be around Bae and Rose, that they are both safe, healthy, and with me, I will do whatever it takes,” Belle swore. Rose pulled herself from Bae’s lap, nearly tumbling into Rumplestiltskin’s lap, as she frantically started tearing through the sheet/bag Belle had brought.

“Rose darling, what’s wrong?” Belle asked, trying to calm her daughter down. Rose stared up at her Mama with tear-filled eyes.

“My doll! I left her there!” Rose cried. Rumplestiltskin stared at the girl. If what he had seen earlier proved true, the doll was the only belonging she had. 

“Stop. We have to go get it,” Belle tried ordering. Jefferson shook her head.

“We need to be back at the castle immediately. Rose can get a new doll at the castle,” Jefferson said, trying to make his voice detached. The girl’s eyes gushed more tears as Belle pulled her closer.

“I’ll make you another doll when we get to the castle, after I make you a new dress. It’s okay,” Belle soothed the girl. She just continued to cry. Belle held the girl close as she stared back up at Jefferson.

“So I pretend Bae is twelve, that I’ve been his mistress for the last thirteen years, and agree to marry him?” Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin’s heart stuttered. He didn’t know what to think of that. This girl would give up her freedom to be with her son. HIS son. His son. Bae was his son. 

“I’ll claim Rose too, if you’ll let me,” Rumplestiltskin said. Belle stared up at him, confused.

“Why? She isn’t yours. Why would you do that?” Belle asked dumbly. Rumplestiltskin didn’t know exactly what to say. He really didn’t.

“Well it would look bad if you’d had a second lover. And she looks similar to Bae. It’d work,” Rumplestiltskin said, trying to pass it off as mere convenience. It was far from that, though. The little girl had gotten under his skin. Belle nodded to him.

“Is there anything else I will need to know, going in to this?” she asked. 

“The court will expect you to produce an heir within a year or two. Even if Rumplestiltskin claims the other two as his, they will want to know for sure that you can still produce heirs and that it isn’t just some ruse,” Jefferson explained. Belle’s jaw tightened at the words but she nodded. 

“I’ll do it. But in return, I want to share a room with Bae and Rose. At least until I have to be married. My children have never been far from me. I want them to be as close as possible,” Belle stated. Jefferson seemed taken aback by this.

“Belle, that is considered rather inappropriate in the castle. Especially with you being as young as you are…” he drifted off at her glare.

“Sir, I will tell you right now that it is necessary. There have only been six months in my entire life that I have slept alone. And my children have never slept alone. I will not have them start now, not in a new place. If they want their own rooms once they are comfortable, so be it. But I want us to start out together,” Belle spat. Jefferson seemed shocked from her outburst.

“As the king’s fiancée, they will expect the two of you to share a room and bed. Especially considering you will be saying you’ve already had two children together,” Jefferson said with a wrinkled nose. Belle stared at him for a moment.

“Fine. My children will have an adjacent room to the king’s room. That will satisfy the court, and they will be none the wiser that I share a bed with my children. We can rearrange things after the marriage,” Belle argued stubbornly. Jefferson’s jaw set. He was about to continue arguing, but Rumplestiltskin could see it wouldn’t be best.

“I have a compromise. The court will have no qualms if I inform them that my mistress and I are used to sharing our bed with the children when we were not passionate. We can use that to an advantage. It is not entirely uncommon for entire families to share beds, especially in the village I grew up in. The court cannot have qualms with that, as long as there is a separate room for the children once the marriage has occurred,” Rumplestiltskin offered. Belle turned her blue eyes to him.

“You would share your bed with us so we could stay together?” she asked, eyebrows knit together in confusion. Rumplestiltskin shrugged.

“I’m tired and this incessant chatter is irritating. Now that we have this solved, how about we rest until we arrive at the castle,” Rumplestiltskin suggested. With a nod at Jefferson, he leant back and settled into a restless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Jefferson:

The castle was finally in sight. It had been a long night of travelling. Everyone was asleep but him.

Scratch that, him and the boy. Bae. The new prince.

Jefferson was truly happy for his dear friend, he really was, but he was unsure. He had no idea if these people were lying. The boy looked like Rumplestiltskin, but he looked like the woman as well. 

The last thing he wanted was for his friend to be hurt.

“Is that the castle?” Bae asked curiously. Jefferson nodded, observing the boy. He seemed conflicted as he stared at the castle in the pre-dawn light.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping, boy?” Jefferson asked. Bae shook his head with a sigh.

“I’m used to waking up in the middle of the night. I used to do it all the time. I would wake up and help with some of Mama’s spinning. She never let me help when she was awake,” Bae admitted quietly. Jefferson was surprised. The boy seemed to have a good heart. That was a trait he could’ve gotten from Rumplestiltskin.

Or Belle, he thought wryly. 

“Why do they call you the Mad Hatter?” Bae asked out of the blue. Jefferson very nearly jumped. He’d temporarily forgotten the boy was there.

“People think me quite mad. And I do positively adore hats,” Jefferson said, spouting off the reason he’d given over the years. Bae nodded, but Jefferson could tell the boy didn’t believe him. Smart lad, spotting a lie but leaving it alone. That attitude would get him far in life, far in court. 

“Does Rumplestiltskin get violent?” Bae asked, his voice quieter this time than it had been before. Jefferson frowned at the boy.

“Not generally, but he does have a few spells where he’s so mad he can’t contain himself,” Jefferson finds himself telling the boy. Bae nods carefully.

“Does it make him feel like something inside of him is dying to get loose, to cause damage?” Bae asked curiously. Jefferson blatantly stared at the boy. The description the boy gave was exactly as Rumplestiltskin had described it to Jefferson, long ago. Jefferson nodded, at a loss for words. Bae sighed and leaned back.

“I’ve never been violent, not before. But today I got so mad. I shoved Mama to the ground and kicked her. And tried to strangle her,” Bae admitted. Jefferson studied the boy. He looked like a gentle lad, he really did. But if whatever took hold of Rumplestiltskin also manifested in Bae, the boy would have to learn real quick to control it. 

“Has anything like that happened to you before?” Jefferson asked curiously. Bae shook his head.

“I got upset once, the first time I heard someone call Mama a whore, but I didn’t really know what it meant. That was the first time I’d ever gotten truly mad,” Bae admitted. Jefferson didn’t like that.

“You’ve went 13 years of your life without getting mad but once?” Jefferson asked, seriously doubting the boy. Bae nodded freely.

“Mama’s always done whatever she could to make us happy. When I was younger, I didn’t notice it. But after Rose was born, I did. She wouldn’t eat so we could eat. She’d stay up late. She never was too far from us, except when she ran to town to try to sell her thread,” Bae explained, as if he were eager to share his life story with anyone who would listen. Jefferson stared at the boy. Thirteen years old and only angry once. Maybe he didn’t have his father’s anger issues.

But what could justify a child trying to strangle their own mother? 

“Your mother is unique, is she not?” Jefferson asked, fishing for information. Information the boy seemed all the willing to hand out by the fistful.

“She is!” Bae said proudly. Jefferson very nearly frowned. He had been hoping for actual information.

“Is she always so…stubborn?” Jefferson prodded. Bae shook his head, staring at his mouth with a tight frown on his face.

“Mama is hardly ever stubborn. She only gets stubborn about me and Rose. She gets stubborn when she forces us to eat the last of the food, or when she insists we stay near the house. And she gets stubborn when people try to take us away. Unless it’s about us, Mama has no backbone,” Bae admitted.

“No backbone?” Jefferson heard, staring at the woman as well. From what he had seen, she had more of a backbone than half the women he’d met. However, the boy nodded.

“If the villagers don’t want to pay for Mama’s thread, they would give her half the money and she would just take it. When I yelled at her, she did nothing but cower. When the people call her names, she shrinks. One of the boys in town told me that when Mama was attacked she didn’t even fight back," Bae whispered the last part before glancing down, slightly ashamed. 

“And by attacked…?” Jefferson continued. Bae nodded.

“They raped her. That’s what she told Rumplestiltskin. I don’t know what that means, only that it hurt Mama and that it made her have Rose,” Bae said. His eyes turned to Jefferson, wide with question.

“Can you tell me what rape means?” he asked. Jefferson nearly choked on his own spit at the boy’s words. 

“Another time,” Jefferson countered. Bae lowered his gaze, a thoughtful frown on his face.

“That’s what everyone keeps telling me,” Bae said with a sigh. Jefferson frowned, considering. The boy reminded him of Grace. A smile tugged to his lips. Yeah, he could tell the boy. It would provide for some entertainment, if not now, then later.

“Well, Bae, when a man and a woman love each other…” Jefferson began. Bae’s eyes quickly met his.

“But Mama didn’t love that man,” Bae interrupted. Jefferson caught himself. 

“What that man did was wrong. That doesn’t generally happen. But most of the time, when a man and a woman love each other very much, they decide to show it,” Jefferson said. Bae frowned.

“I love my Mama…” Bae said, unsure. Jefferson had to smother the hyena laughs that nearly ripped themselves from him.

“Not that kind of love. A different kind of love. Your Mama will explain it to you, later,” Jefferson said. Much later. In fact, he would love to be present when Bae asked his mother that question. 

“How do they show it?” Bae asked curiously. Jefferson stared at the boy. 

“You know that part you have that girls don’t have?” Jefferson asked the boy. Bae stared at him for a moment before realizing what he was talking about.

“They stick that part inside the girl, where the girl would have one but doesn’t,” Jefferson explained it, as basically as he could. Bae looked horrified at his words. 

“But wouldn’t that hurt?” he asked, shocked. Jefferson nearly laughed.

“Only the first time, or if the man is violent about it,” Jefferson informed the boy. He still looked horrified.

“So that happens, and then a baby comes nine months later?” Bae asks. Jefferson thought about informing him of a woman’s monthlies as well, but refrained himself. The boy already looked scarred enough for the night.

“Exactly,” Jefferson said.

“Why did that man do it to Mama? It doesn’t sound very…fun,” Bae said, his nose wrinkled. Jefferson shook his head at the child.

“It can be, once you get older, son. Sometimes men do it to find release. Married people do it also,” Jefferson said. Bae glanced at his Mama and then Rumplestiltskin.

“So Rumplestiltskin is going to do that to Mama?” he asked, his voice an odd combination of horror and curiosity. Jefferson nearly groaned at the direction the conversation was headed. Sure, it was fun messing with the boy and consequently messing with his parents, but this just proved to be awkward for him.

“Kid, they’ve got awhile before they’re married. Tell ya what. I’ll get you a book at the castle that’ll give you the details,” Jefferson said, knowing that not only would the boy’s mother kill him, but Rumplestiltskin would as well.

“But you have to keep it a secret,” Jefferson said, winking at the boy. Bae nodded eagerly. 

Jefferson glanced at the wagon’s other occupants. They were slowly rousing along with the sun. They were to the castle gates. Time to bring on the court.

 

Belle:

 

She woke up to a sudden stop. She had become accustomed to the wagon’s rocking long ago and to feel nothing brought her from her sleep. The tears had long since faded from her eyes, although she still had to swallow the urge to shed some more. Now was not the time, nor the place. She wearily blinked her eyes open to see a grey wall looming over her. 

People were coming towards them. Rumplestiltskin was being lifted from the wagon by some of the guards. Bae jumped down after him before Belle could tell him not to. She wrapped her arms tighter around Rose, who was still asleep but stirring. Jefferson, the Mad Hatter, offered her his hand and tugged her over to the edge of the wagon before climbing down and helping her down as well. He reached in and grabbed her sheet/bag and knapsack before Belle could take them herself.

She found herself being helped by Jefferson into the castle. 

“Where are we going?” she asked quietly.

“The throne room to meet with court. Then we can get you and your children settled. We will have to get you all fitted for clothing and washed before a formal meeting with the court this evening, but this is informal as of now. Allow me and Rumplestiltskin to do the talking,” Jefferson told her smoothly. Bae, who was been walking a step in front of them, slowed to walk alongside his mother. Rose was stirring more, starting to wake up. Belle shifted the child to the hip along her good leg, cradling the child with one arm. 

They entered what Belle assumed was the courtroom shortly, although Belle for the life of her couldn’t have told how she got there. It was a winding path through dark, damp halls. When they entered the brightly lit room full of people, Belle wanted to run. So many people, all staring in her direction. They also stared at Rumplestiltskin, who was in front of her.

“My King! You’ve returned!” someone finally said. Rumplestiltskin was helped over to a chair where he sank into it in relief.

“What happened to you?” another man asked, eyes wide. His eyes flitted over to her, accusingly, before sliding back to the king. 

“Fetch a doctor. Someone. And I’ll tell you what happened while we wait,” Rumplestiltskin commanded. A small boy ran from the back of the room, doing what Rumplestiltskin had commanded, Belle supposed. 

“I was on my way to visit my mistress, as I usually tend to do,” Rumplestiltskin began, gesturing towards Belle. Belle’s eyes immediately fell to the ground, not daring to meet anyone’s eyes. 

“That is what I’ve done in my free time, mind you. Which is why I’d been so adamant against marriage. Anyhow, I was thrown from my horse on the way and she found me when I didn’t arrive as expected. Mail had already gone out so she couldn’t write to anyone for me. Plus, I’d never told her who I truly was,” Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle had to admit, his lying was phenomenal. He had her almost believing the tale. 

“When Jefferson arrived, I told who I truly was and Jefferson and I came to the conclusion that we would bring her and my children to the castle. I intend to marry her,” Rumplestiltskin announced. This sent a shock of murmurs through the court. Belle could feel the eyes on her, tearing her apart, dirty seam by dirty seam.

“When did you meet her?” One of the men asked suspiciously.

“Remember when I went out after Milah’s betrayal? I met her then. Our oldest, Baelfire, was born a year after Milah’s death. And Rose was born three years ago. I fully intend to have them placed as heirs to the throne,” Rumplestiltskin informed them. The murmurs continued.

“Was it not the court that insisted I take a new wife, and has insisted in doing so for the last thirteen years? I wanted to make sure I’d found someone who was not after my money, after the kingdom, or anything. Belle is not interested in any of that. She is here out of love and love alone. However, I am no longer content with only a mistress. I want a wife, a queen,” Rumplestiltskin lied. His lie was convincing. 

“Very well. We will set up rooms for the children and her. Our seamstress will meet with them soon,” one of the men said quietly. Belle’s grip on Rose tightened.

“I actually have an issue with that. We will share a room, for the time being. All of us. Whenever I visited the family, we shared a bed whenever we weren’t doing other activities. As a family. And at least until her and the children are comfortable in the castle, I want to continue sharing a bed with my family,” Rumplestiltskin stated. 

Belle refused to look up, but even she could tell the people of court must looked horrified. Still, no one contradicted the king.

“Now, if you’ll be so kind, I’d like to see a doctor. And my fiancée and children would like to get cleaned up before a formal introduction is made,” Rumplestiltskin announced.

“Your Highness, the formal introduction will have to wait until tomorrow night,” someone said. Belle glanced out of the corner of her eyes at the man who spoke. He was familiar. Very familiar.

“Why?” Rumplestiltskin bit out.

“Because tomorrow night is the Ball. We have guests scheduled to arrive all day. It would be must more beneficial to announce your engagement at the Ball, while all royalty is present,” the man said. Belle’s skin turned clammy. She knew him. Oh, she knew him. 

“Shit,” Rumplestiltskin muttered under his breath.

“My fiancée does not know how to act for a ball. She hasn’t exactly been raised with that knowledge,” Rumplestiltskin explained tightly. 

The man’s lips curled into a sneer.

“Well then, I guess she’ll have to learn,” he said. Bae let out a strangled gasp. The boy had recognized the man. Belle pulled the boy close to her, willing him not to say a word.

“Fine. Gaston, show them to my room. And send up the maids to run her bath and get her measured,” Rumplestiltskin ordered. Belle’s blood ran cold as she gripped Bae tighter, also pulling Rose to her as well. The girl was finally awake but silent, staring at all the people in curiosity. Gaston breezed over to Belle, gripping her arm in what appeared to be a loose grip. She knew otherwise. His fingers dug into her arm.

“Right this way, Belle,” he said lightly, pulling her out of the room. Belle’s eyes flew up for the first time, searching for Rumplestiltskin’s eyes but he was already on another topic. The doors closed behind them as Gaston drug them up the stairs and through many winding halls. He opened a door and shoved them inside before following them in. 

His eyes were gleaming as he stared down at Belle. She pulled her children close, ignoring Bae’s protest.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Belle. Of all people, you’d be the last I would expect to be the king’s mistress,” he said, eyes travelling down her body. He took a step closer. Belle took a step back. 

“Le Fou told me about his encounter. I have to say, I was surprised,” he said with a low chuckle. Belle took another step back. Gaston followed.

“I’ll tell you right now that you haven’t seen the last of me. You embarrassed me in front of the entire town. I haven’t forgotten. You will pay. Maybe I’ll give you child number three,” Gaston said darkly, taking another step forward. 

“I brought your stuff up. You left it behind in the…don’t you have somewhere to be?” Jefferson’s voice rang from the doorway. Gaston nearly jumped at his voice. Belle nearly cried out in relief. Gaston muttered angrily as he hurried out of the room. Belle sank to the ground, still clutching Bae and Rose. Bae remained standing, his fists white where he was clenching them so hard. 

Jefferson dropped the bundles on the bed after he closed the door. He made his way slowly over to Belle, who was fighting tears. He hesitantly dropped to the floor next to her.

“Who was that?” Jefferson asked. Belle shook her head, not trusting herself to talk.

“Mama’s ex fiancé. He let his friend attack Mama,” Bae said vehemently. Jefferson stared at the boy before turning to Belle. He nodded at Rose. Belle shook her head.

“His friend. But it was then. And my leg,” Belle said. Jefferson exhaled slowly. 

“I’ll tell Rumplestiltskin,” he said, standing up.

“No! Don’t,” Belle begged, grabbing onto the bottom of his shirt. Jefferson turned to face the woman who was begging on her knees.

“He doesn’t need to be worried about it. I-I’ll be fine. He wouldn’t dare hurt Rose or Bae, not with Rumplestiltskin claiming them,” Belle said softly. Jefferson frowned and shook his head.

“I’m not stupid. I heard what he said to you. The last thing Rumplestiltskin wants is his wife being raped in his own bedchambers, I assure you,” Jefferson said sarcastically. Belle shook her head again. 

“I’ll be fine,” Belle repeated. Jefferson didn’t seem to believe her but thankfully dropped the subject. He turned to Bae and lifted his eyebrow at the boy’s hands. They were still clenched tightly. Belle noticed and took one of his hands in her own.

“It’s okay, Bae. Everything’s fine,” she said soothingly. Her words, which had always calmed the boy before, didn’t seem to work. The boy spun and slammed his fist into the wall. He repeated the process a few times until Jefferson pulled him away from the wall. His fists were bloody, as was the stone wall.

“I’ll take Bae to get a bath and send someone up for you and Rose. The seamstress should be with them. She’ll measure the two of you before you bathe,” Jefferson said, placing his hand on the boy’s shoulder. Belle surged unsteadily to her feet.

“Where are you taking him?” she protested. Jefferson offered her a small smile.

“Don’t worry. As inappropriate as it is for you all to share a bed, it’s much more so to share a bath. He’ll be back once he’s clean,” Jefferson promised. Belle watched, forlorn, as her son was led away. The door was barely closed before someone knocked and opened the door. A lady in elegant clothes entered swiftly, followed closely by two other women who were less elegant. 

“You must Belle! I’m Snow White. Rumple asked me to keep you company while you were getting fitted and bathed,” the elegant lady said with a smile. Belle struggled to smile at the girl, unsure.

“Are you a queen?” Belle asked hesitantly. Snow laughed and nodded with a smile.

“I am. We arrived around the same time as you. I must say, I’ve been dying to meet you since I heard about you earlier. I never thought Rumple would find someone to have kids with. He can be a bit…temperamental, to put it lightly,” she said with a laugh.

“Rumple?” Belle asked, tasting the word carefully. Snow’s eyes immediately became guarded.

“We grew up in the same area, him being five years older than me. I gave him a nickname. That isn’t a problem, is it?” she asked. Belle shook her head quickly.

“No! It just…sounded different,” Belle said, trying for force her thoughts into coherent sentences. Snow’s smile returned.

“Well, let’s go to the bathroom! I must say, I’m dying to take a bath as well!” she said, but Belle could tell she didn’t mean that in a spoilt way. The girl had a certain look to her that said she knew of rough times as well. Belle allowed Snow to take her arm and drag her slowly down the hallway. Snow beamed at Rose, who beamed right back.

“Who are you? My name’s Snow,” Snow said to Rose, who giggled.

“I’m Rose. You’re pretty,” Rose said. Snow laughed at the girl before tweaking her nose.

“It’s nice to know he can at least have good children. He’s a kind king, indeed, especially to the peasants, but he has some streaks of pure rage. It’s as if he’s possessed. I hope that’s not a trait they inherit,” Snow said. Belle’s mind immediately flashed to Bae, both last night in the hut and just a few minutes ago in the room. She had never seen him get mad before. Ever. And then he just broke loose. It terrified her. What if that was Rumplestiltskin’s effect on the boy? 

“Where’s your son? Baelfire?” Snow asked, testing the name carefully. Belle nodded.

“Jefferson took him for his bath,” Belle said, hoping to mask her anxiety. It didn’t work. Snow looped her arm around Belle’s shoulders.

“Don’t worry. Jefferson is great with children. He watches my Emma all the time. His daughter and my daughter are best friends,” Snow confides. Belle nodded, unsure of what to say. They entered the bathroom and one of the two maids immediately started tugging their clothes off. She tried to take Rose away, but Belle gripped the girl tightly.

“Calm down. She just has to measure you. I’ll hold her for you,” Snow said, her voice gentle. Belle slowly relinquished her child to Snow, eyes never leaving Rose as the maids tugged her clothes off and started measuring her, scribbling down measurements every few seconds. 

“What happened to your leg?” Snow asked as she stared at Belle. Belle lowered her eyes.

“I was attacked a few years ago,” Belle said quietly.

“Mommy was attacked and then had me!” Rose said with a smile. Belle’s head shot up, staring wide-eyed at the girl. Both maids and Snow stared as well.

“I was being beaten in the village and Rumplestiltskin rescued me. And yes, I did have Rose nine months after that,” Belle lied cautiously. The maids bought it, it seemed, but Snow had an inquisitive expression on her face, one that said she suspected something. 

“We’re done with you. Let’s measure the child and then we’ll leave you three to bath in silence,” the one maid said. Snow stood Rose on the ground and the maids carefully pulled the dress from Rose.

“Gods, this dress looks like it was made for a doll,” one of the maids exclaimed. 

“Mama said she’d make me a new dress!” Rose said proudly. The maids chuckled.

“Your Mama won’t make you a new dress. We’ve already started on one for you,” the maid said with a smile. Rose allowed them to measure her (which took significantly less time to do than it had to measure Belle) and, once they helped unlace Snow, they left. 

“Come on! The water’ll be cold before we even get in,” Snow said, urging Belle and Rose to follow her into the tiny pool of water. It looked more like a pool than any tub Belle had ever seen before. Rose stared at it, wide-eyed.

“Mama, what is it?” Rose asked. Belle picked the girl up and carried her over, following Snow as she stepped into the warm water.

“It’s a bath. Have you never had a bath?” Snow teased. The joke died on her lips at the expression on both Belle and Rose’s faces. 

“Mama always cleaned me using hot water,” Rose said, scrunching up her nose in distaste. Snow seemed embarrassed but tried covering her slip-up. 

“I’m sorry. I grew up in a palace. I forget sometimes. But I did spend a year in the woods. It was eye-opening,” Snow shared. Belle nodded, sinking into the water as Snow did. She still held Rose, who could possibly touch the bottom by standing but Belle didn’t want to risk it. 

“So Belle, how did you meet Rumple?” Snow asked casually, grabbing a bottle from the side of the bath. She wet her hair before pouring some of the bottle into her hair before passing it to Belle. Belle took it, wetting her daughter’s hair before mimicking Snow’s actions, first on her daughter’s hair and then her own.

“I, um…” Belle said, startled. Snow’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“I knew it,” she said softly.

“We never knew him by Rumplestiltskin. He told me his name was Robert Gold,” Belle said quickly. Rose nodded, eyes wide.

“I knew he was lying!” Rose stated happily. Snow’s eyes focused in on Rose.

“It’s not what you think,” Belle said quickly. Rose turned to look at her Mama, curious to see that fearful look in Mama’s eyes, the look Rose hated. 

“Belle, I’ve known Rumple long enough to know the truth. And I also know what love looks like. Neither of you are in love. Which makes me wonder why he would risk making you queen and your children the heirs,” Snow contemplated quietly.

“I found Bae. I’m Bae’s adopted mother. I refused to let him take Bae from me,” Belle told the girl, her voice equally quiet. Snow nodded thoughtfully.

“He’s been desperate to find the boy for years. He knows he has control over you by Bae. But why is he taking in Rose too?” she asked.

“I was told it was either that or I could only see my son once every few weeks,” Belle said sadly. Snow shook her head fiercely.

“That’s blackmail. I know the kingdom wanted him to marry, but this is absurd. You shouldn’t be forced to marry someone,” Snow said vehemently. Belle shrugged, sinking deeper into the water.

“It wouldn’t be the first time I would be forced to do something. This way, my children will never have to go hungry. They will be provided for. And I can have more children, will have more children, who will never know what it’s like to be starving,” Belle said softly.

“You’d give up your own happiness and freedom?” Snow questioned. Belle nodded.

“For my children, I’d give up anything. I’ve given up all I can already,” Belle admitted. Snow stared at her for a moment.

“I admire you, Belle. You’re brave. I’ll keep your secret. But you may want to get Rose to understand secrets,” Snow said teasingly to the little girl.

“I know what secrets are! They’re what Bae tells me not to tell Mama!” Rose said triumphantly before she realized what she had said. Belle’s eyes widened as she spun the girl around.

“What has Bae told you not to tell me?” Belle asked, her voice strict. Rose stared at her Mama, unsure.

“He told me not to tell you that he used to always spin whenever you went to sleep. That he sometimes hid his food until you went to sleep and put it back so there’d be more. Sometimes he gave me more food too,” Rose said, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. Belle’s eyes widened even more.

“Rose honey, I think secrets mean you aren’t supposed to tell anyone,” Snow lightly reprimanded the girl. Rose stared up at Belle, worried. 

“I’m sorry Mama,” she said. Belle shook her head, hating that sad look.

“Let’s get you washed up and out of here. And darling, please don’t talk about any of that. You’ve seen Rumplestiltskin before. He came and visited us before. You didn’t know he was king, before. No man attacked me. Rumplestiltskin is your Papa. Do you understand?” Belle asked the girl softly. Rose nodded solemnly, eyes wide but resigned.

“My Papa is the king,” Rose repeated. Belle nodded.

“So you can call him Papa. In fact, unless he or someone else tells you not to, call him Papa. That would be better,” Belle said as an afterthought. 

“They’ll make exceptions for the children until they can be taught otherwise,” Snow said soothingly, reassuringly. Belle scrubbed the girl clean before cleaning herself. When they were finally clean, Snow helped them out of the tub. They dried off on towels before Snow pulled out robes. The robes looked like gowns, but smaller. And thicker.

“You don’t have any clothes made just yet. They should have an outfit for each of you done in a few hours. In the meantime, you can stay in your chambers and relax. I must go find my husband. You’ll get to meet him for lunch, which should be around the time you get clothes. Get some rest,” Belle tells as she helps Belle and Rose into the robes. Belle follows Snow helplessly as she leads them to the room she is sharing with Rumplestiltskin. Snow opens the door, only to freeze. 

“I’m sorry, Rumple. I didn’t realize you were here,” Snow faltered slightly. Rumplestiltskin nodded at her. Snow gently pushes Belle inside, along with Rose. The door is closed swiftly behind her. Her eyes widen when she sees Bae sitting in one of the corners. He jumps up. He’s also in a robe, one much longer than hers and Rose’s. 

“Mama!” Bae exclaims, pulling Belle into a tight hug. Belle hugged him back just as tightly. Rose hugged both of their legs hesitantly before pulling back. Belle glanced at her daughter, who was staring at Rumplestiltskin with a look of determination attached to her plump little lips. She marched over to the side of the bed and stared at him for a moment. Rumplestiltskin stared right back, an eyebrow arching at the girl. Rose mimicked his action. She glanced back at Belle before turning to Rumplestiltskin and climbing onto the bed. She crawls over his stomach, causing Belle to wince. Belle just hoped the girl hadn’t hurt his leg.

“Papa,” Rose said the word slowly, as if she were chewing on it. Figuring out how she liked it. The word caused Rumplestiltskin to jump slightly, staring at the girl as if she were some dragon. Something in her expression that Belle missed caused the girl’s stern expression to melt as she threw her arms around the man.

“Papa,” she repeated. Bae pulled from Belle, staring at his younger sister. 

“I told her to. It seemed more…appropriate. For the story,” Belle said quietly. 

“It appears that she cannot keep secrets. Snow White and I learnt that when she informed us of all the things you’d told her not to tell me, all while trying to prove she could keep a secret,” Belle told her son, slight irritation flaring up. Bae seemed startled, shooting his sister an exasperated look.

“Look, Mama, I was only…”

“Bae, I don’t care what you were doing. I will have you know, you will eat here. I don’t care if I have to give you my food and watch you eat it, you will eat. You and Rose will eat,” Belle swore. Bae stared at her, his expression filled with something Belle didn’t like. Pity. 

“You look worn out,” Rumplestiltskin observed quietly. A part of Belle was irritated by this statement. A part of her wanted to shoot some snide comment at him, something about how he didn’t look all that pleasant either, but she bit her tongue. She was good at biting her tongue. 

“I would leave and allow you to rest, but I’ve been ordered to bed rest. I am to be allowed out of bed for meals and nothing else until the Ball tomorrow. I guess you’ll have to get accustomed to us sharing a bed sooner rather than later,” Rumplestiltskin said, his voice sounding slightly sarcastic. But truthful all the same. Belle nodded and made her way to the other side of the bed with Bae. She motioned for Bae to climb into the bed, but he shook his head.

“You move too much in your sleep, Mama. You’d roll right out of the bed on the edge, just like you did before I made you sleep in the middle,” Bae said, as if he were the parent. Belle’s jaw tightened but she obeyed him. She hated seeming weak. She hated being a coward. But she was. And there was a certain finality to Bae’s voice. One that told her he was in no mood to argue. 

“I’m not tired!” Rose protested. Belle smiled at the little girl, who was already fighting a yawn. The bed was softer than anything she’d ever felt. 

“Rose, you should probably move on the other side of me. You tend to cuddle in your sleep, and I’d hate to make…Rumplestiltskin…uncomfortable,” Belle said softly. Rose jutted out her lip.

“She’s fine,” Rumplestiltskin said, a smirk of amusement present on his face. Belle sighed, knowing better than to disagree. She settled back onto the bed and, within an instant, was asleep.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

He woke up before any of the others did. Rose had both of her small arms wrapped around his neck, her one thumb having found its way into her mouth as well. It was arguable the closest he’d been to another human, since his wife left. He glanced over her to see that Belle was all but pressed against his side. Bae’s arms were wrapped tightly around his mother, holding her in what could be mistaken for a lover’s embrace. Rumplestiltskin frowned. That could look bad. He would have to have them switch positions around a bit before night. 

It seemed he had agreed to share his bed with a group of cuddlers. The thought almost made Rumplestiltskin shudder. He’d never been one for human contact.

Then again, he could maybe get used to it, he thought wryly. Belle shifted in her sleep, tossing so she was facing him instead of her son. Her arms pulled herself close to him, causing him to freeze. The girl was warm. His bed hadn’t been warmed in a long time. Still. He didn’t know what to think of the feeling. It was unsettling, how this family was throwing him off so badly.

He was unsure what to do, really. He was conflicted. He had been told to remarry for years. He was making the court happy. He had found his son. He had been given the chance to be his son’s father, a father his son had never had. And, he realized as he glanced down at the little girl who seemed much too comfortable with him, he’d been given a daughter. 

Belle was an entirely different story. He didn’t understand her. He had thought he did, before. She was so complex. It was like he had peeled away one layer, only to be confronted with another layer. He was used to reading people. Belle he couldn’t read easily.

Whatever it was that made up Belle, he planned on figuring it out. After all, if she was to be Queen, he needed to know what made her tick. And if he was to keep his son, she would need to be Queen. 

Why had he given her so few of options? Surely there would have been a way to make things work, without a marriage having to take place. It was his own selfish needs. He needed a Queen so the court would stop bothering him. Yes, that was why he was going to marry Belle.

His eyes drifted over to his son, who was still rather close to Belle. The boy’s hands were bandaged. When Rumplestiltskin had asked him about them earlier, the boy’s jaw had tightened and he had sunk to the floor, glaring up at Rumplestiltskin. The reaction was frighteningly similar to Rumplestiltskin; he had done things like that when he was a teenager as well. Of course, he wasn’t truly to blame for his fits of rage.

It was that damned curse. That curse that had been placed on him when he was young, the curse that gave him a volatile temper and the strength to cause damage with his rage. He generally could control it, but there were times it snuck up behind him and took control. Judging from the boy’s actions the day prior, he had inherited the curse.

“Of all the ludicrous traits to inherit,” Rumplestiltskin muttered to himself. His boy would inherit the thing he was most ashamed of. Jefferson had confirmed with him earlier that the boy told him it was the first time he’d ever gotten that angry. His fists said that he had experienced the second time earlier. Could it be Rumplestiltskin’s influence that brought out Bae’s inner beast?

Rumplestiltskin hoped not. Because now that he had his son, nothing would separate them. Rumplestiltskin would do whatever it took to get his son’s affection. If that meant wooing Belle, then so be it.

The door cracked open to reveal one of the servants. He was in between servant status and a person of actual importance. Gaston. 

“I was told to see if you wanted me to escort Belle to lunch,” he asked. Rumplestiltskin frowned. Belle still didn’t have her dress. It was mildly inappropriate. Rumplestiltskin shook his head and Gaston left.

Something about Gaston seemed off, today. He couldn’t quite place it, but there was something about Gaston that didn’t settle right with him. 

He wasn’t given another opportunity to think about it. Minutes later, in poured three maids, carrying clothes along with them. They roused Belle and pulled her out of the bed, pulling her to the corner of the room. A sleepy Belle didn’t seem all that comfortable with being stripped naked. Once they had finished up with her, they turned to Bae. Bae shooed them away and managed to dress himself while the maids doted on little Rose, of whom they had to pry from his neck. He was already dressed, thank goodness, and shooed the maids on as soon as they had finished.

“Would you mind assisting me?” Rumplestiltskin asked Bae. The boy dutifully made his way to Rumplestiltskin’s side and helped him to rise. 

“Mama, Mama! I look like a princess!” Rose said, twirling around before leaping into her mother’s arms. Belle caught her gracefully, tucking her onto her hip.

“Darling, I’ve told you before. It’s what’s inside that makes someone a princess. Not a pretty dress,” Belle teased the girl.

“That’s why your doll was never a princess,” Bae shot at the girl. The moment the words left his mouth, Bae seemed to regret it. Rose’s eyes filled with tears and Belle quickly pulled the girl closer.

“Oh Rose, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it, honest. I’ll make you another one,” Bae said, immediately pulling from Rumplestiltskin’s side to comfort the girl. When Rumplestiltskin faltered, Bae stepped back into place, but Rumplestiltskin could see he wanted nothing more than to comfort his sister. 

Belle stared at her daughter for a moment before glancing up at Rumplestiltskin, who looked ready to go. 

“Rose darling, you must stop crying. We’re going to go see Snow. Do you want Snow to see you crying?” Belle asked. Rose shook her head, pulling back. She sniffled and rubbed her eyes. Belle smiled at her.

“There now. Bae said he would make you another one. Now let’s go,” Belle said. She nodded to Rumplestiltskin and Bae. 

The walk to the kitchen was a short, agonizing one. It would have been silent, had it not been for Rose.

“Papa, are you going to walk like Mama forever?” Rose asked. Belle nearly stumbled at the words.

“No dearie. I’ll be perfectly fine in a matter of weeks,” Rumplestiltskin told the girl. The girl nodded thoughtfully.

“What’s a Ball?” she asked after not even a complete moment of silence.

“It’s where a lot of people dance,” Rumplestiltskin stumbled over the words. Rose nodded once more. They were approaching the dining room.

“Are you going to hurt Mama and make her have a baby?” Rose asked just before the doors opened. Rumplestiltskin nearly tripped. Belle had stopped walking as well. 

“Rose, you don’t talk about things like that,” Belle told the girl quietly but sternly. Rose bit her lip and nodded but continued to stare at Rumplestiltskin, waiting for an answer.

“If we decide we want a baby, I won’t hurt her first,” Rumplestiltskin finally said. Rose smiled.

“I want a little sister. Can you want a baby?” Rose asked. Rumplestiltskin was at a loss. The girl was content now, however. Rumplestiltskin shook his head before pushing the door open. The only people present, besides the maids, was King Charming and Queen Snow. The two were lounging, waiting for them. When the doors swung shut behind them, Rumplestiltskin noticed how Charming seemed…irritated. 

“Charming, Snow. This is my fiancée, Belle, and our children, Bae and Rose,” Rumplestiltskin introduced, his words gliding. Charming frowned.

“I know. Snow already educated me on the…situation,” Charming said, the last word slipping from his tongue in distaste. 

“Shall we eat?” Rumplestiltskin asked sarcastically. Everyone sat at the table, with Rose sitting in Belle’s lap despite Rumplestiltskin informing her that there was a chair for her. The servants were a whirlwind as they brought much food out and placed it on the table. Just as they were about to start eating, Jefferson entered the room followed by Princess Emma and Grace. The two girls were giggling but stopped the moment they saw Belle.

“Belle, this is my daughter, Emma, and Jefferson’s daughter, Grace. Emma, Grace, this is Belle, Rumplestiltskin’s fiancée, and Belle’s children Baelfire and Rose,” Snow introduced quickly. The girls and Jefferson slid into seats quietly. Rumplestiltskin noticed wryly that Emma kept shooting Bae looks whenever he wasn’t looking at her. 

Everyone’s plates were filled instantly. Rumplestiltskin observed how Bae waited until his mother had dipped up food onto her plate before he touched anything. He continued to watch as Belle coaxed Rose to eat the food on the plate, not once touching anything.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Emma asked, finally observing Belle. Belle jerked her head up, confused.

“I’d rather my children ate first so I know there’s enough,” Belle said quietly. Emma looked confused.

“Why wouldn’t there be enough?” she asked. Snow made a move to shush her daughter. 

“She’s right, dearie. There’s plenty of food. You should eat so you can keep your strength up,” Rumplestiltskin drawled. Belle stared at him for a second, unnerving him. She hesitantly took a small piece of chicken and nibbled on it.

“So, I can’t say I’m comfortable with this situation,” Charming said. Belle’s eyes shot over to him, wide in shock. Emma and Grace seemed confused.

“Charming, I don’t see how a mere lunch can be so discerning to you,” Rumplestiltskin quipped. Charming gripped his cup tighter.

“No. I’m talking about you forcing this poor girl to marry you out of blackmail,” Charming said. Belle dropped the piece of chicken she’d been eating. She stared, wide-eyed at the two of them.

“I’m not forcing anyone to marry me. We are in love,” Rumplestiltskin lied effortlessly. Charming barked out a laugh.

“No you’re not. I know love, and you’re not in it. I don’t care what you have on Belle, but she will NOT marry you,” Charming swore. 

“He has nothing on me,” Belle said quietly. Her eyes were glued to her plate.

“You don’t have to lie. I know how he really is,” Charming said, his eyes glowering on Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin’s own eyes narrowed as he glared at the young king. 

“Mother. I was wondering if Grace and I could go to the market and look around?” Emma asked quickly. Snow and Charming both glanced at their daughter.

“No. We don’t want you wandering around town alone,” Charming said instantly.

“But Dad! Grace’ll be there!” Emma whined. She winked across the table at Belle, who was staring at her. Rumplestiltskin had to admire the girl. She was diverting the attention from Belle.

“Out of the question. I don’t want you two girls wandering the streets alone,” Charming stated. Emma’s eyes drifted to Bae.

“But what if Bae went with us? He could protect us,” Emma said, batting her eyelashes at her father. The twelve year old was pretty manipulative, Rumplestiltskin noticed wryly. And she had her father wrapped around her fingers.

Charming’s eyes slid over to Bae, who looked incredulous.

“If Bae goes with you, you can go,” Charming finally acquiesced. Bae glanced at the pleading Grace and Emma before turning to his mother. His mother, who looked downright terrified at the thought of her son going out without her. 

“Mama, I can stay here with you,” Bae said softly. Rumplestiltskin frowned. The boy wasn’t even going to ask to go out? It was…odd. Belle shook her head.

“No darling, you should go out. You should make friends. Plus you promised a flower a makeup,” Belle said, her eyes sparkling to hide some sort of fear. 

“Flower?” Rose asked, confused. Bae glanced down at her before back at his mother.

“I did. But…” the boy drifted off. Belle shook her head.

“You should go. Grab the pouch from the room first though. Be safe and protect them,” Belle murmured. Bae nodded solemnly. Emma squealed.

“Can we go now?” she begged. Charming sighed.

“Sure,” he finally relented. Grace turned to her father, who only shrugged. Rumplestiltskin watched the girls jump up. Bae made his way to follow them, but Rumplestiltskin stopped him.

“Here. Take these. Buy her a real doll. Don’t use your mother’s money. Emma and Grace can help you pick out a real one," Rumplestiltskin murmured, handing him a small pouch. Bae seemed shocked by the gesture but took the money.

“Can I go too?” Rose asked excitedly. She tried to twist around to stare at Belle. She shook her head.

“No darling. Not this time,” Belle said tiredly. Rose spun to face Rumplestiltskin.

“Papa, can I play with you then?” she asked. Rumplestiltskin was taken aback.

“I can’t do much,” he admitted. The girl’s smile grew and she shook her head.

“Yes you can! I can pretend you’re my doll and brush your hair!” she announced. Rumplestiltskin’s cheeks turned red as Snow and Charming held back giggles. Even Belle was giggling.

“Dearie, I’m not a doll,” Rumplestiltskin said, hoping his voice was light enough. It wasn’t. The girl’s eyes began to watering and Rumplestiltskin panicked.

“My hair may be harder to brush through,” Rumplestiltskin injected awkwardly. Rose’s face lit up and she struggled to get down from her seat. Belle gripped her tightly.

“Rose, that’s not polite,” Belle tried to lecture, but the girl wouldn’t listen. She pulled herself free and scampered her way over to Rumplestiltskin, hoisting herself into his lap. She stood on his thighs, immediately trying to mess with his hair.

“Rose! After lunch is done!” Belle gasped, jumping to her feet. Rumplestiltskin held a hand up to stop her. He scooted farther up in the seat and helped her to crawl behind him.

“She’s fine,” Rumplestiltskin said. Snow and Charming stared, mouths agape as the three year old ran her fingers through his hair, even started braiding his hair. 

“I have no issues marrying a man who cares enough to let my children play with his hair,” Belle said quietly. Charming glanced over at her, mouth still open, before he stared back at Rumplestiltskin. He shook his head.

“I still don’t trust you. Not a bit,” Charming said. Rumplestiltskin gave him an almost feral smile.

“I don’t need you to trust me, dearie. After all, I’m not marrying YOU,” he said. He wasn’t expecting a tiny hand to hit him on the top of the head.

“Bad Papa. That was mean,” Rose chastised him. Rumplestiltskin nearly spun in the seat, but the girl was gripping his hair.

“Sit still!” she cried. Rumplestiltskin sighed and obeyed the girl, earning a snicker from Charming. Before he even knew what had happened, Rose had flung her shoe at him from across the table. It barely hit him, but hit him it did. Belle stared at the girl in horror. Charming looked beyond shocked, and Rumplestiltskin couldn’t help but burst into a fit of laughter. 

“ROSE!” Belle shouted. It was the loudest Rumplestiltskin had heard the girl get. Rose released his hair instantly.

“I’m sorry Mama. He was being mean,” she said, her lip quivering. Belle’s expression didn’t change. 

“I would’ve thrown a shoe at him too,” Rumplestiltskin said, surprising even himself. 

Without another word, Rose threw her arms around him.

Rumplestiltskin felt warmth spread inside of him. Who was this strange child that made him feel loved? He wasn’t sure what she was doing to him, but he knew that if she asked him to play with his hair, he would agree without a second thought. 

 

Bae:

The girls giggled as they hurried in front of him. Bae had to nearly run to keep up with the two girls who were the same age as him.

“Wait up!” Bae finally called. The two girls stopped in their tracks and giggled as he caught up.

“Is your Mama really gonna marry Rumplestiltskin?” Emma asked questioningly. Bae nodded.

“Does she love him?” Grace asked. Bae shrugged, which caused Grace to sigh.

“True love is so beautiful. I want to meet my prince and fall in love!” Grace said. Emma shook her head at the girl.

“Falling in love is overrated. I wanna slay a dragon!” she said, mimicking a sword fight with an invisible foe. 

“I just want to buy my sister a doll,” Bae mumbled. The girls must’ve heard him, because they stopped in their tracks. 

“You’re gonna buy your sister a doll?” Grace asked, eyes wide. Bae nodded.

“Rum – Papa gave me the money for it. We left her old doll at home,” Bae explained. Emma’s eyes narrowed slightly at the slipup but she said nothing. Grace squealed and drug him through the castle gates and into the market.

“I know the perfect place!” she cried. Bae allowed the girl to drag him through the streets. She finally came to a stop in front of a small stand. The stand had stuffed animals and dolls alike. Bae stared, unsure.

“What did her other doll look like?” Grace asked.

“It was brown and full of straw. Mama helped me make it for her when she was born,” Bae said proudly. The two stared at him.

“You made her the other doll?” she asked. Bae nodded.

“You have to make her another then! We can buy one from Rumplestiltskin, but we’ll help you make her one,” Grace promised. Emma wrinkled her nose.

“You know how to sew?” she questioned. Bae nodded, unfazed.

“I helped my Mama with her work when she was asleep,” Bae explained.

“What did your Mama do?” Grace asked.

“She was a spinner. She also mended clothes,” Bae explained. Both girls nodded, but he could tell neither knew exactly what that was, and he was not in the mood to explain anything to the girls. His eyes landed on a doll with red curly hair and an apron.

“That one!” he said, pointing.

“Raggedy Anne? I used to have one of those,” Emma said, wrinkling her nose. 

“I like it. And I know Rose will like it,” he said, pulling out his money. The older lady running the stand, when she saw him pull out money, rushed to his side. The doll was expensive, but it seemed that Rumplestiltskin had given him plenty of money. Once the doll was bought and materials were purchased, he followed the girls as they wandered around the town, chattering amiably.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

Rose had finally finished playing with his hair and was back on Belle’s lap. Belle was talking hesitantly with Snow and Charming. Charming still continued to shoot suspicious glances his way every few minutes. A doctor was working on his leg. 

He himself was mulling over Gaston. Something unsettled him, and he couldn’t think of what it was.

It wasn’t until Snow was calling out a goodbye to Belle that he realized what had been off.

Gaston had called Belle by name twice, and he had not told anyone her name by that point.


	3. Chapter 3

Bae:

They had finally found a quiet place to sit and watch the market people. Bae learned really fast that his two new friends were like night and day from each other. Emma was tough and loved to do things boys did, and Grace was gentle and liked tea parties. Still, both loved watching people. And both seemed to love Bae.

So while they were sitting on a small cove, both girls helped him to create a doll for his sister. In turn, he taught each of them how to sew as well. Once the girls decided they both (surprisingly) enjoyed it, they left their perch to buy materials so each could make their own doll as well.

Grace enjoyed the quiet aspect of it, and how it made her feel feminine. Emma, he learned quickly, enjoyed stabbing the cloth and making something pretty out of it. The three of them were quite content to sew in peace, not even noticing as the sun slowly slid down the horizon. Not noticing, that is, until it was too dark to completely finish their dolls.

Belle:

She was getting more nervous with each passing minute. It had been hours since Bae had left with the two girls. Rose was taking her nap on Belle’s lap. Belle hadn’t dared move out of the parlor room, not with the chance of Bae coming home and her missing it. Snow had wandered in and out all afternoon and Belle could tell she was also getting nervous. 

When the sun began to set, Belle had made up her mind. She was not going to wait any longer, not for her son. She would find her son. She stood slowly, hoping not to wake Rose. The girl should be waking up soon anyways. Belle considered leaving her at the castle but wasn’t sure. There was only one person she was sure wouldn’t hurt Rose, and that was Rumplestiltskin.

She wouldn’t have trusted him to keep Rose safe, before, but after him letting Rose play with his hair to the point of making it look ridiculous, Belle had reconsidered. The man, it seemed, had a soft spot for Rose and, while Belle still didn’t feel comfortable around him, her daughter did.

Belle stood and limped her way towards the room they shared. That was the only place she really knew how to get to so far, and she knew Rumplestiltskin was supposed to be on bed rest until tomorrow night. She opened the door slowly.

“Rumplestiltskin?” Belle called softly. He was in the bed and, at the sound of her voice, he turned his head towards her. She crossed the room quickly, laying Rose down next to him.

“I’m leaving to find Bae. He’s still out there. Please keep Rose safe,” Belle begged. Rumplestiltskin started to struggle to sit up.

“I’m coming with you,” he decided. Belle shook her head quickly.

“You can’t. You’re hurt. And I can’t take Rose. And I don’t trust her with anyone else,” Belle admitted. Rumplestiltskin stared, confused.

“You trust me with Rose?” he asked, his voice sounding almost…strangled. Belle swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.

“I don’t believe you could make her do anything she doesn’t want, though. She has a mind of her own. But you care about her. I can see that,” Belle whispered. 

“At least take Jefferson with you,” Rumplestiltskin said. Belle hesitated but shook her head.

“I can find them on my own. I will find my son,” she stated. Rumplestiltskin nodded, although still not looking happy. As Belle headed for the door, Rumplestiltskin’s voice stopped her.

“Take him with you,” Rumplestiltskin persisted. Belle nodded, knowing he wouldn’t suspect her of lying if he couldn’t hear the lie in her voice.

“How does Gaston know you?”

Belle stiffened, her hand frozen on the door knob. Jefferson had sworn not to say anything.

“He was from my town. He left for war when the draft hit,” Belle said softly, trying to sound as aloof as possible. Before he could ask her another question, she slinked out of the door. 

She was, surprisingly, able to find her way out of the castle in ease. Belle had no plans of asking for Jefferson’s help; she could do it all on her own. She made her way down the darkening streets at an alarming speed. Very few people were on the streets, and those who were on the streets did double takes to see her stumbling down the road. She wasn’t used to the feel of shoes on her feet, and they did little for her balance.

Ten minutes later she was beginning to feel desperate. She turned into an alleyway and stopped for a moment. She was completely and utterly lost in every sense of the word. And Bae was still missing.

“Do you remember where we are?” Belle heard a voice ask, the voice near panic. Belle pushed herself from the wall. She recognized that voice.

“No! I thought you knew!” Bae’s voice shot back. Belle stumbled into an almost run. She the three children came into sight, Belle nearly fell as she cried in relief. Bae saw her and, eyes wide, ran to catch her. 

“Mama! What are you doing here?” he asked. Worry was etched in his face, especially as he glanced around for Rose. 

“I was so worried. You’ve been gone so long,” Belle murmured, wrapping her other arm around her son. Bae allowed her to hug him, but Belle felt that he wasn’t as thrilled about it. Almost as if he found it awkward. Belle pulled back slightly to see Grace and Emma staring at her, eyes wide.

“Where’s Rose?” Bae asked urgently. Belle shook her head.

“Rumplestiltskin is watching her,” she explained. This did little to help Bae. He continued to stare.

“He let Rose mess with his hair earlier,” Belle admitted. The thought must’ve reminded Bae of something, because he lifted a bag he was carrying. He pulled out a doll, a red headed doll.

“Papa gave me the money and told me to get a doll for Rose. But I wanted to make her one, so this one is from Papa, and this one is from me!” Bae said, triumphantly holding up a small but complete doll. Emma and Grace came closer.

“Show her the ones we made!” Grace urged. Bae pulled the other two small dolls out.

“Grace made hers for Alexandra, Cinderella’s baby, and I made mine for Rose too. I wanted her to have a tough doll,” Emma said triumphantly. Belle stared at the dolls for a moment, trying to keep the tears down.

“This’ll mean so much to Rose,” Belle said, her voice near awestruck. Bae put all of the dolls back into the bag. 

“We need to get back to the castle,” Belle said finally.

“Do you know how to get back there?” Emma asked. Belle shook her head.

“I was completely lost when I found you,” Belle admitted. They started to walk towards the front of the alley when they heard a voice. 

“Well well well. What do we have here?” a man’s voice asked from the front of the alley. Bae’s grip tightened on Belle, but she pushed the boy behind her.

“Protect the girls. Run,” Belle urged. Bae tried to continue to hold her, but Belle shoved him. Bae grabbed the two girls’ arms but was stopped by a large man. A man who was blocking the other end of the alley. 

Three more men came into the light from the front. One of the men casually helped the first man to secure Bae and the two girls. The man in front of her eyed her appreciatively. 

“Let them go,” Belle said, her voice as level as she could force it to be. The man laughed, his laugh sending chills down her spine. He strode forward quickly, grabbing Belle by her neck and pushing her against the wall.

“Now, who said you were allowed to give orders? You’re going to lean back and relax and give what I want,” he said, his voice nearly a croon as he loosened his grip on her neck slightly, only to pin her arms above her head. One of his dirty fingers grazed the side of her face, causing her to flinch.

“Let them go, and you can do whatever you want,” Belle tried compromising. The man’s smile turned feral.

“But m’dear, I can already do whatever I want,” he said, his smile one much too wide for his face. 

“NO!” Bae shouted. He was immediately silenced by one of the two guards, but the two girls seemed to have caught on. Two men couldn’t cover all three of their mouths.

“Shut up or I’ll kill her!” the man in front of Belle snapped, pulling out a knife. He placed the knife against Belle’s neck for emphasis, which caused the screams to die in their throats. 

“Let them go, please. At least don’t make them watch,” Belle begged. The man slid his knife back into his pocket and the smile was back. 

“Oh no, they can watch. One of those little girls may be next, depending on how satisfying you can be,” he crooned. Belle was horrified. All three of the children were staring at her. Belle immediately tried locking her legs together. The man’s hands pried her legs apart quickly. He made quick work, pulling at her dress and his pants. She let out the loudest scream she could, hoping that someone, anyone, would hear. 

The man slapped her so hard her face slammed into the wall behind her. 

“Bitch,” he cursed. 

Two things happened at once.

Bae stabbed the man who was holding him with a knife, a knife Belle hadn’t known he had. The other man tried to fight him and the two girls got out of his grasp.

The second thing was a voice called into the alleyway.

“What’s going on?” a deep voice shouted

Rumplestiltskin:

Belle had been gone twenty minutes when Jefferson checked up on him. Jefferson, who should’ve been with Belle. The sight of him caused Rumplestiltskin to crash out of the bed, still clutching Rose almost as much as she clutched him. He ignored Jefferson, struggling down the hallway to the parlor. Snow, Charming, and Jefferson were all there, each looking as worried as the next.

When they saw Rose, their looks seemed to get worse.

“Has Belle returned?” Rumplestiltskin asked, but he could tell from their faces that the answer was no. 

“Belle went out after them? Alone?” Jefferson asked, gripping the arm of his chair so tightly that his knuckles were white. 

“She was supposed to take you,” Rumplestiltskin said miserably. 

“I’m going after them,” Rumplestiltskin announced. Rose clung tighter to his shirt. Rumplestiltskin had been gripping her too tightly. He loosened his grip slightly.

“No. I’ll go after then,” Jefferson corrected, standing quickly. He led Rumplestiltskin to a chair and eased him into it. 

“Mama,” Rose muttered quietly into Rumplestiltskin’s shirt. Rumplestiltskin glanced down at the child and pulled her tighter to him before getting back to his feet and limping out of the room, followed closely by Jefferson. 

 

Belle

The man gripping her cursed and dropped her. She tumbled to the ground, thankful of the save just in time. The man and his accomplices hurried into the night, leaving the children to rush to Belle’s side.

“You were going to let them hurt you…for us?” Emma asked, confused. Belle nodded slowly.

“You three are precious. If I could keep you from getting hurt, I’d do anything,” she admitted.

“And she would. She’s been doing it for years,” Bae adds, a twinge of bitterness in his voice. Belle chose to ignore that. The man who had called out ran over to them, bending down next to Belle and the children. He was rather handsome, Belle admitted to herself, with brown hair that nearly covered his eyes. He was in rich clothes, clothes suited for a king.

“Are you alright?” he asked. Belle nodded quickly.

“We are now, thanks to you,” she murmured. The man offered her a wide smile before gently taking her hand and pulling her to her feet.

“My name’s Daniel. My family and are just arrived in town. Do you need us to take you anywhere?” he asked, slowly leading the three of us out of the dark alley and into the street where his carriage was waiting.

“Grandpa Daniel?” Emma gasped. Belle almost froze at the words. Grandpa? The man couldn’t be that old. He was equally surprised.

“Emma! What are you doing out here?” he asked, making no disclaimers to what she had called him. 

“Me and Bae and Grace got lost, and Belle found us,” Emma said quickly. Her eyes widened.

“Where’s the bag?” she asked. Grace and Bae exchanged horrified glances before Bae ran into the alleyway to get the bag full of the dolls they had made for Rose. He came out triumphantly. Daniel stared at them, puzzled. 

“If you could drop us off near the castle, we would be eternally thankful,” Belle finally said, responding to his previous offer. Daniel nodded absently, opening his carriage’s door. A boy with brown hair had been peering out and nearly fell when the door opened.

“Henry!” Daniel said with a laugh. The boy scrambled back, but Daniel shook his head.

“Be a gentleman, Henry. Why don’t you help Emma and Grace into the carriage?” Daniel ordered lightly. Henry immediately held out his hand and pulled the two girls into the carriage, lingering with Grace more than he needed to. 

Bae had skittered closer to Belle, eyeing the carriage warily. Belle also stared. She had never ridden in a carriage. They travelled by wagon to get there. She took Daniel’s offered hand shakily and allowed him to help her into the carriage. Bae nearly leapt in after her. Daniel climbed in and the carriage started moving.

“This is my wife, Regina, and my son, Henry,” Daniel introduced. Regina offered them a thin smile and Henry was exuberant.

“My name’s Belle. This is son, Bae, and Princess Emma and Grace,” Belle introduced. 

“Can I look out the window?” Bae asked excitedly. Daniel laughed but nodded. Bae immediately moved so that he was staring out the window raptly. 

“What business do you have in the castle, Miss Belle?” Regina asked, her tone fakely friendly. Belle got the worst feeling from the woman, but couldn’t tell why.

“I am acquainted with the king,” Belle said stiffly. She didn’t want to talk to Regina if she could help it.

“Why are you heading to the castle, if you don’t mind me asking?” Belle shot back. Daniel laughed warmly at the girl, taking his wife’s hand in a soothing manner.

“We’re guests for the Ball. All of the rulers are required to come,” Daniel said lightly. Belle’s head spun. He was a king. Of course. She should’ve realized that. She felt so incredibly daft.

“How are you acquainted with the king, m’dear?” Regina asked, returning to the subject they had just left. Belle opened her mouth – what she would have said, she had no clue – but was cut off by Bae’s cry.

“Papa!” Bae shouted, pushing the door open and leaping out of the moving carriage. Belle lunged unsteadily to her feet, desperate to follow the boy. The carriage stopped abruptly, causing Belle to almost fall over. She hopped her way down from the carriage unsteadily and hurried towards where Bae had run. He had the bag in his arms and nearly tackled the king, who was holding Rose as well. As Belle got closer, Bae pulled away and grabbed Belle, pulling her into the hug.

It felt so foreign, being wrapped in Rumplestiltskin’s arms. She had felt Bae’s arms before, but never Rumplestiltskin. When she pulled back, she realized that Grace had hugged her own father, Jefferson, who was with Rumplestiltskin. Belle went to take Rose from Rumplestiltskin but the girl clung to Rumplestiltskin. The action sent a searing pang of jealousy through Belle before she buried it.

“I thought you said Bae was your son,” Daniel’s voice asked from behind them. Emma was standing awkwardly in between Belle’s family and Daniel’s family, and with Belle’s quick gesture, had come over to Belle. Belle hugged the girl, hoping she wouldn’t feel as left out. 

“He is my son,” Belle stated cautiously. Daniel’s eyes drifted to Rumplestiltskin.

“He’s your son, and the king’s son,” Daniel said the words slowly, as if coming to a realization. Regina’s eyes narrowed. 

“I don’t believe acquainted is the correct word for your relationship to the king,” Regina said drily. 

“I’m sorry. I should have elaborated. The new title throws me. I’m his fiancée,” Belle threw the words at Regina carelessly. She was instantly shocked with herself. Where had that come from? She resisted the urge to curl up and beg for forgiveness. She would remain strong. She could remain strong…right?

Rumplestiltskin’s free arm snaked around her waist, pulling her from in front of him to his side. 

“King Daniel, Queen Regina, Prince Henry, I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow morning,” Rumplestiltskin said smoothly. Daniel nodded curtly.

“Yes. We made much better time than we anticipated. We were unaware of your recent…engagement. Or the birth of your…son. Or we would have sent congratulations,” Daniel stumbled over the words. Rumplestiltskin gave him a thin smile, one similar to the smile the queen had given Belle earlier.

“The engagement is quite recent. I only came across the courage to propose recently. And it is not of any consequences. My children were born a while ago and we kept it secret for a reason,” Rumplestiltskin said flippantly. Rose seemed to realize now that her mama was the one next to Rumplestiltskin and immediately reached for Belle. Belle tugged Rose from Rumplestiltskin’s iron grip, holding the child close to her.

“Where have you children been? We’ve been worried,” Rumplestiltskin lectured. The three children looked thoroughly ashamed.

“Bae was teaching us how to make dolls!” Grace exclaimed happily. Emma nodded enthusiastically too. Rumplestiltskin’s eyebrows lifted.

“And Emma even enjoyed it?” he questioned. Emma was enthusiastic in agreeing.

“It was so much fun to stab things!” she boasted. Rumplestiltskin couldn’t suppress the chuckle as he shook his head.

“And here I thought you were going to turn Emma into a lady,” Rumplestiltskin said to his son. Bae smiled up at his father before his father turned back to Daniel.

“We can continue on the way to the castle. Would you mind if we accompany you?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Daniel shook his head. One by one, they climbed into the now extremely cramped carriage. The children (besides Rose who was in Belle’s lap) sat on the floor. 

“It’s rather intriguing to find you’ve had a woman on the side, all these years,” Regina remarked coolly as the carriage began moving. Rumplestiltskin nodded.

“She wasn’t aware I was king. And we were happy. You should know more than anyone that love doesn’t happen as we expect it to,” Rumplestiltskin said, knowing he was dealing a low blow to the queen.

“You shouldn’t allow your fiancée to roam the city at night,” Daniel warned lightly. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“She was searching for our children, and was SUPPOSED to take Jefferson,” Rumplestiltskin directed the question at Belle, showing obvious frustration. Belle squared her shoulders. She wanted to try out this newfound bravery she was feeling.

“I couldn’t find him, and it was a good thing I left when I did,” Belle said strongly. Her words were the wrong one. She could tell by the sudden fury that settled into his eyes.

“Why? What happened?” he asked darkly. Belle felt herself shrinking back slightly. 

“Three men attacked us!” Emma piped up. 

“Oh?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Emma nodded enthusiastically. Belle sunk into the seat. So much for her bravery. It wasn’t helping in the least.

“She tried talking them into letting us go, but they were really mean, so she tried dealing with them. But I didn’t understand what about,” Emma said, her eyebrows scrunching together as if she were trying to interpret the words.

“Stop it. Mama’s tired,” Bae interjected, glaring at Emma. The girl glared right back at him, causing Daniel to chuckle.

“Looks like we have a romance on our hands. Thank goodness Henry doesn’t have a crush yet,” Daniel said with a laugh. The boy, who had been staring indiscreetly at Grace, looked up quickly in alarm.

“I don’t think Henry’s been spared love,” Belle said teasingly. The boy sent her a glare, and Grace only shot her a confused expression. The reaction proved Belle to be correct, and Daniel only chuckled some more. 

They pulled up to the castle and climbed out. Belle was surprised to see that Emma had glued herself to her side. Somehow, Belle had gained the absolute favor of the small princess. However, it was rather weird. She was holding Rose and had both Emma and Bae glued to one side while Rumplestiltskin was still at her other side. She could tell now he was needing support with walking, to not appear weak. Belle was appreciative; it helped her as well.

When they made it inside the parlor room, Charming and Snow White all but lunged at Emma, both hugging her tightly. Emma, however, remained next to Belle.

“Mom, can I sleep with Belle tonight?” Emma asked. Her words shocked the entire room into silence. Snow stared at her daughter and then at Belle, confused.

“Emma?” Snow asked, unsure.

“Belle saved us,” Emma said, as if that was all she needed to say.

“You haven’t slept with us in five years,” Snow said, looking confused and hurt. Belle tensed. She didn’t want to make Snow mad at her. Snow was her only friend, so far.

“Emma, my bed is full. Rose, Bae, Rumplestiltskin, and I share a bed. It’s not just me,” Belle tried explaining to the girl. Henry’s eyes shot up, intrigued.

“You all share a bed?” he asked incredulously. Daniel and Regina also looked rather…shocked. 

“In the village she lived, it is customary for entire families to share beds most nights,” Rumplestiltskin covered for her instantly. Belle saw that Emma looked hurt, so she bent down so she was eye level with Emma.

“If you’re scared of nightmares, I’m sure your mother and father wouldn’t mind letting you share their bed,” Belle told the girl gently. A glance at Snow confirmed her words. Emma nodded, and Belle could tell that was the real reason. The girl had been terrified. 

“Well, as much as I’d love to stay and chat, it’s getting late. If anyone is hungry, ring for a servant. Jefferson, would you mind showing our guests to their rooms? I’m afraid my fiancée and I’ve had a rough day and need to retire,” Rumplestiltskin said smoothly. 

“Wait!” Bae said. He lifted up the bag. Emma was excited and ran over too. Bae dug out the doll Grace had made and handed it to the girl. Then he gave the one Emma made to her. And he pulled out the one he made. He left the one he had bought in the bag. Belle carefully sat down on the ground, prying Rose from her shoulder so she could turn the girl around. Rose’s eyes lit up when she saw her brother.

“Rose, I know I was mean earlier, and I forgot your doll at our house,” Bae began. Belle wanted to correct him. It wasn’t his fault the doll had been forgotten. She should’ve kept a better eye on it.

“I made you another one though,” Bae finished, handing the girl the doll. Rose’s eyes lit up and she threw herself at her brother, nearly knocking the kneeling boy over in joy. Bae gently pushed the girl away and motioned towards Emma. The girl handed Rose her doll.

“Bae showed us how to make them, and I made one for you too!” she said. She seemed so awkward about it, it was sweet. Rose took the doll from the girl and smiled at her, hugging her as well. She looked so tiny next to Emma. Belle could tell Rose was beyond thrilled. She had only had one toy in her three years, and now she had two. Three, actually. 

Bae pulled out the third doll and Rose’s eyes got huge. 

“Papa gave me the money to pick out a doll for you too. So Papa got you this doll,” Bae said. As he said the words, his eyes slid over to Rumplestiltskin. He seemed shocked that Bae was giving him the credit for it, but said nothing. Rose hesitantly took the doll and turned to face Rumplestiltskin. She lifted her arms towards him, although they were filled with her new dolls. He clumsily picked the girl up and she wrapped her tiny arms around him, breathing a thank you into his ear. Belle’s heart nearly broke at the sweet scene that played out in front of her.

Jefferson cleared his throat.

“Right. Well, let me show you to your rooms,” Jefferson said, quickly leading a curious Daniel and a scheming Regina (even Belle, who had just met her, could tell she was scheming something evil) away. Snow and Charming retired with Emma, leaving Rumplestiltskin to lead them to their room. 

As soon as the door was closed, Rumplestiltskin deposited Rose on the bed and pointed at a door in the corner of the room.

“Bae, Rose, why don’t you go play in the room right there while your mother and I talk,” Rumplestiltskin said calmly. Rose scampered that way immediately, but Bae seemed more resistant.

“It wasn’t Mama’s fault! You can’t punish her!” Bae protested quickly. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“Who say anything about punishment? I was simply wanting to speak with Belle,” Rumplestiltskin told the boy in a soft voice. Bae hesitated but finally turned and followed his sister into the adjacent room. As soon as the door had clicked shut, Rumplestiltskin spun on Belle.

“What exactly happened?” he asked, his voice a low hiss. Belle shook her head.

“You should lay down. You’re not helping your leg,” she said. Rumplestiltskin refused to be budged, and after a moment Belle gave in.

“Three men attacked us. I told them that if they let the children go, I’d let them do whatever they wanted to me,” Belle spoke. Rumplestiltskin crossed the room until he was towering over her. 

“You have no right to allow anyone to do anything to you,” he said lowly. Belle couldn’t contain her anger at that moment.

“What are you to tell me what I can and cannot do? I was trying to protect my child and his friends,” Belle hissed back at him. Rumplestiltskin’s hand flew up, as if he were going to smack her, but he dropped it instantly. 

“You are ENGAGED. To ME,” Rumplestiltskin hissed. 

“I may be your fiancée, but I am first and foremost Bae and Rose’s mother. I would DIE protecting them and not think twice of if you would approve,” Belle shot back, feeling the fury inside of her building. 

“You should start thinking about my approval, dearie, because I can easily kick you out and keep Bae. You have NO idea how worried I was!” Rumplestiltskin snapped.

“Why were you worried?” Belle responded angrily. Rumplestiltskin’s glare was blinding. He uttered not a single word. His lips crashed down onto hers. She could feel his raw emotions that he poured into her. Desperation. Anger. Fear. She tasted each and fought back with her own emotions. Suppression. Confusion. Fury. 

She broke away first, pulling from him. When she did, it felt like a dam inside of her burst. She couldn’t stop the tears that poured themselves out of her eyes. She crumpled to the ground as she had earlier that day. Rumplestiltskin hesitantly dropped himself next to her.

“I was so scared. So scared they would make them watch. I could handle it, if I was alone, but I was so scared for them,” Belle sobbed. Rumplestiltskin tentatively wrapped her into a hug, patting her gently on the back. 

“It’s okay. You’re okay now,” Rumplestiltskin said awkwardly, as if he had no experience with crying women. He may not have had. Belle didn’t know. After a few minutes, she ran out of tears and just sat there, too emotionally drained to move.

“You’re scary,” Rumplestiltskin stated when he felt her shoulders stop shaking. He pulled back from her, staring at her for a moment to gauge her reaction to his words.

“First you’re so obedient, scared, cowardly. Then you transformed into this crazy banshee when your children are involved. And you get this random streak of bravery. Before collapsing into tears. What’s next?” he quipped. His words brought a weak smile to her lips.

“I’m only trying to keep up with you,” she responded. It was the right thing to say.

“We’re going to make a rather volatile couple, aren’t we?”

“I hope to God Jefferson’s prepared.”

Rumplestiltskin and Belle managed to stumble back onto their feet and let the children in. The four of them climbed into the bed, Rumplestiltskin on the edge next to Belle, then with Rose and all her dolls, with Bae on the other edge. Their eyes were not open for long. Despite having taken an extensive nap earlier in the day, each of them collapsed in exhaustion.


	4. Chapter 4

Rumplestiltskin:

Warm. Oh so ridiculously warm. It was almost uncomfortable how warm he was. He struggled to kick the blankets off of him, only to discover that there were no blankets.

Then why was he…? 

His eyes shot open to see that somehow, in the middle of the night, he had gravitated towards the middle of the bed. Rose had somehow gotten on the other side of him, and Bae was curled into his other side. Belle was lying on top of him, curled into his chest. 

For a moment, he panicked. He had no idea what to do. Why were they surrounding him? He had guessed they were cuddlers, but this was a bit extreme. How did this even happen? It shouldn’t be humanly possible. Soon, very soon, someone would knock on the door and enter and be shocked with this sight. 

He tried to carefully shove her off of him without throwing her onto either child. The movement woke her up, causing her to stir. Her eyes blinked open before they widened in alarm. Her eyes sought out her children. When she saw that they were on either side, she shook her head.

“I’m so sorry,” Belle breathed, scooting backwards, as if that would help her get off of him. It wasn’t working overly well, he noted, and she realized it as well. 

“While we are stuck here, we should probably discuss how today will go,” Rumplestiltskin said stiffly. Belle nodded, shooting a lighthearted glare at both of her sleeping children. 

“The court is under the impression that I love you. Therefore, a certain degree of affection would probably be best,” Rumplestiltskin said. Belle tilted her head slightly.

“What kind of…affection?” she asked, the word seeming odd as it rolled off her tongue. 

“I…we’ll come back to that. The Ball’s tonight. We will present you officially as my fiancée and Bae and Rose as my heirs. After that, it’ll be official. Before the Ball, we’ll have you sign a document saying that the engagement is official,” Rumplestiltskin continued. Belle shook her head quickly.

“I can’t write,” she protested. Rumplestiltskin stilled. The girl couldn’t read. She couldn’t write. One of his biggest passions was reading, a secret he tended to keep under the wraps. If Belle couldn’t read, neither could Rose or Bae.

“I’ll teach you how to sign your name. We can work on writing and reading later. I want Bae and Rose to start learning as soon as possible,” Rumplestiltskin decided. Belle nodded, biting her lip. 

“You shouldn’t have to dance. I won’t be able to dance and most women don’t dance with men they don’t know if they are engaged. If Charming, Daniel, or Jefferson ask, you can, but anyone else you will not know well enough to accept. If you do, just follow their lead,” Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle nodded once more, looking less sure than she had before.

“I believe that’s the basics,” Rumplestiltskin said. Belle shook her head.

“The…affection,” she said unsurely. Rumplestiltskin stared at the woman who was lying on his chest.

“Just normal affection. Like how couples act when they are in love,” Rumplestiltskin tried explaining. His words didn’t have the desired effect.

“How do couples act when they are in love?” she asked, eyebrows furrowed together tightly. 

“Have you never seen a couple in love?” he asked in disbelief. Belle shook her head. He sighed and tried to sit up.

“Climb off carefully. We’ll go to the next room,” Rumplestiltskin suggested quietly. Belle carefully slid off of him and off the bed as well. Rumplestiltskin had more trouble, but was able to do it eventually. The two were barely off the bed before Bae and Rose started snuggling together. Rumplestiltskin shook his head in disbelief. 

“You guys are a real touchy-feely family,” he muttered, more to himself than anything. Belle shot him an inquisitive look but made no move to question him. The two made their way into the side room and closed the door quietly.

This was Belle’s first time in the room, he could tell. She stared at the couch and at the window curiously. Rumplestiltskin lead them over to the couch where he gratefully sank into it. His leg was killing him. She tentatively sat next to him.

“You’ve never seen a couple in love?” Rumplestiltskin asked again for clarification. The girl shook her head. Rumplestiltskin remembered back to the time when his wife and him pretended to still be in love for the court. Rumplestiltskin gently took Belle’s hand.

“They hold hands quite frequently,” he murmured. She stared up at him interestedly. 

“They will whisper secrets in each other’s ears. And they kiss,” Rumplestiltskin said. Belle shook her head at the last one. She was remembering their unorthodox kiss from the night before.

“We can refrain from kissing. Kissing is occasionally frowned upon in public,” Rumplestiltskin amended. Belle nodded, leaving the two in an awkward silence. It occurred to Rumplestiltskin that this was one of only two times he had truly been alone with the girl he was to marry. Her children were always with her. Her children seemed to define who she was.

“Tell me something about yourself,” Belle’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. He stared at the woman for a moment, confused. She fidgeted slightly.

“If I’m to be married to you, I should like to know something about you,” she murmured, tucking a curl behind her ear. 

“I love to read,” Rumplestiltskin admitted. The girl’s eyebrows knit together quickly at his words.

“I’ve always wished I could read. My Mama…she was going to teach me. But she died before she could,” Belle said sadly. Rumplestiltskin stared at the girl. 

“How about we exchange stories? You can tell me the story of your parents, and I’ll tell you a story about me you want to know,” Rumplestiltskin suggested, his interest peaked. The girl nodded quickly.

“My Mama was killed by a horse when I was five. It upset my Papa, and he stopped spending time with me. He killed himself a few months before I found Bae. He at least had the decency to stock up the house before he did it. I didn’t have to leave the house for a long time. I grieved alone. Then I found Bae,” Belle said softly. She rushed the story, the details nearly nonexistent. 

“How did Bae end up in the woods?” Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin shook his head. The girl sure knew how to pick the most uncomfortable subject. Then again, he had just asked her to rehash her parent’s deaths to him. It was a fair trade. 

“I married as soon as I took the throne. Her name was Milah. I thought I loved her, and she loved me. It didn’t take long for me to realize it was all an act for her. She was mad when she became pregnant within the first two years of us ruling. So mad that she decided she wasn’t going to remain in the kingdom. I’m not sure what she planned on doing with him. She showed him no affection. She was probably going to make me pay ransom to get him back. But she died before that. We found her body in the woods a week after she left. Bae was gone,” Rumplestiltskin said. 

He found that telling that tale was much easier, now that he had Bae back. Before, that story had been all but taboo. Even Snow and Jefferson, who he had all but grown up with, were not informed of the whole story. 

“You never really told me the story behind Gaston,” Rumplestiltskin said, the thought popping into his head. The girl in front of him stiffened with his words, eyes not even blinking. Fear. She was terrified. The emotion vanished from her face so fast he was unsure if he had just made it up. But she had frozen. 

“I told you. He lived in my village,” Belle tried, but Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“Living in the same village doesn’t mean that he should create that much fear in him. This is sharing time, remember? That’s my question. How do you know Gaston?” Rumplestiltskin pressed. 

“I may have been engaged to him,” she muttered so quietly he had to lean in to hear her rushed words. The words were a slap to the face. The story he had heard before…of her break-off and the rape he had permitted. 

“I’ll kill him,” Rumplestiltskin said venomously. Belle’s head shook violently in protest.

“No! No, please. Don’t kill him,” Belle begged. 

“Do you still care for him?”

“No. But I cannot imagine someone dying because of me,” Belle’s words were distraught enough that Rumplestiltskin agreed to not hurt the man. Although every atom in his being was screaming the opposite. No man who did that to a woman, or allowed that to happen, should live. 

“I get one more question. How do you know Snow?” Belle asked. Her questioned was much more innocent than his had been. 

“I actually had a situation similar to the one we are having the court believe. My mother was a villager that the king loved. I grew up there until I was eleven. Then, I came to court. That was about the same time Regina entered Snow’s life. Regina was forced to marry Snow’s father, despite her loving Daniel,” Rumplestiltskin began. Belle looked confused.

“Regina is Snow’s step-mother? What happened to her father?” Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“In time. Regina did not love him. Snow and I grew up together because they would always come over, my mother instantly becoming friends with the young Regina. Snow and I were thrust together instantly. When Snow’s father died of a heart attack – nothing suspicious at all – Regina mourned before bringing Daniel on the scene to be the new king. When Snow became of age, she fell in love with Charming and left her kingdom to Regina to help rule Charming’s kingdom. That’s why Emma and Henry are around the same age,” Rumplestiltskin explained. His words explained the other questions he knew she would eventually ask.

For a moment, she looked like she was going to ask another question, but instead she stood and hobbled her way to the door. He stood as well, trying as best as he could to follow her.

They sure made a great pair, both with messed up legs. The only difference was that his would heal. Hers would not. Hers was permanent. All because of her fiancé’s friend. 

She opened the door and waited for him. Her eyes were on the children, who he realized as he entered the room, were awake. Rose was playing with her dolls and Bae looked relieved. He must’ve been watching the door for Belle. The moment he saw her, he rushed to her, wrapping his arms around her. Rumplestiltskin watched, realizing the gesture, just as many of the other gestures his son did, could be misinterpreted. And would be.

“Bae, would you be able to refrain from hugging Belle in public? Here, it’s fine, but in public it can give people the wrong ideas,” Rumplestiltskin said quickly. Bae pulled back from Belle as if she had burnt him. He stared at Rumplestiltskin for a moment, eyes calculating. Then, in an act of defiance, he wrapped his arms around Belle once more, this time hugging her tighter than before. His eyes glowered at Rumplestiltskin, challenging him.

Belle frowned at her son, lightly pushing him away.

“Bae, he’s only trying to help. There’s so many rules here we must follow,” Belle tried explaining.

“Did he hurt you?” Bae asked quickly. Belle’s eyebrow lifted.

“No. We were just talking,” Belle explained. Bae examined her before examining Rumplestiltskin.

“He didn’t do anything to you, did he? Are you going to have another baby?” Bae asked. At his words, Rose’s ears perked up.

“Baby?” she asked excitedly. Belle shook her head quickly.

“Bae, I don’t understand where these ideas are coming from,” Belle lectured the boy gently. But the boy refused to back down.

“He didn’t stick you with his…part, did he?” Bae asked, his voice more hushed this time. Belle’s face turned a deep scarlet. Rumplestiltskin had to hide his own blush as well. 

Just as the words had left his mouth, the door had flown open and in strode Jefferson, the only person bold enough to not bother knocking on Rumplestiltskin’s door. 

“Bae, where did you hear about…that?” Belle asked the boy carefully. Bae’s eyes guiltily slid over to Jefferson, who seemed rather confused. Belle, however, understood fully. As did Rumplestiltskin. 

The girl crossed the room at an alarming speed, grabbing Jefferson by the shirt and pulling him all the way into the room, slamming the door behind him.

“Why did you corrupt my boy?” Belle hissed. Jefferson’s eyes widened as he shot an accusing glare at the boy. Bae didn’t seem to fully realize what was going on.

“He didn’t tell me everything. He told me you would tell him why my love was different from what Papa’s love would be,” Bae said. Belle looked at the boy, a look of horror adorning her face. 

“Bae, I’ll tell you when you’re older. Much older. Just know you shouldn’t…stick…your part…in anyone, okay?” Belle asked, stumbling over the words. Bae nodded, forlorn. Rumplestiltskin glanced at his old look, a great plan forming.

“Bae, Jefferson will explain everything to you. After all, he did start telling you. Won’t you, Jefferson?” Rumplestiltskin asked, his voice sickeningly sweet. Belle didn’t look overly thrilled with the idea, but the gleam in her eye told him that it was a sufficient punishment for his devious friend.

Jefferson’s face paled as he tried to sputter his way out of it, but Rumplestiltskin was not about to change his mind. Before Jefferson could form a coherent, a swarm of maids rushed into the room, each carrying something or another. Clothing articles, he realized. They ushered him and Bae into the adjacent room, along with a still sputtering Jefferson, and dropped a pile of clothes for them before shutting them in the room.

“What’s going on?” Bae asked, confused.

“They are dressing your Mama and sister,” Jefferson said, finally finding his voice. Bae’s eyebrows scrunched together.

“Why? Mama always dresses Rose, and Mama only needs help on bad days,” Bae said. The words made his face pale.

“Is Mama having a bad day?” he asked worriedly. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“It’s what the servants do. Now, let’s get dressed before they waltz in here again,” Rumplestiltskin announced. He struggled into his clothes with Jefferson aiding him.

Bae managed to put the shirt on backwards, forcing a laugh from Rumplestiltskin as he helped his son into his clothes. They had only just finished when the door was thrown open. Rose hurried into the room, tripping as she neared Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin caught the girl, barely, hoisting her to his hip. 

Belle made her way into the room slowly. It was hard to see her limp with the floor length dress she was wearing. 

“Rose, be careful,” Belle lectured. The girl giggled and hugged Rumplestiltskin. The maids hurried out of the room, as if wanting to give the family a bit of privacy.

“How is that you’ve managed to steal my daughter from me in under a week? I thought you were going for my son?” Belle accused, but he could hear the joking tone her voice had weakly adopted. Rumplestiltskin shifted Rose slightly in his arms.

“Oh, but Rose is so much easier to brainwash,” he said teasingly, pulling the giggling girl closer. 

“She’s just a flirt Mama. She tends to like men,” Bae explained. The girl didn’t understand the word flirt, but she sensed it was bad. Rose stuck her tongue out at her brother.

“Bae, where did you learn that word?” Belle asked uncomfortably. Bae shrugged.

“I heard it around town,” he said dismissively. He was lying. Jefferson’s grin showed that he had told the boy that word. But of course. 

“Jefferson, what’s on the agenda for today?” Rumplestiltskin asked. The man, relieved to finally do something, smiled.

“Breakfast with the Mills and Charmings. Then there’s free time before the rest of the families are to arrive. Lunch will have more families present, I’m sure. After lunch it will be time to start preparing for the Ball. Supper will be served at the Ball and everyone will be presented,” Jefferson explained. Half of what he said, Rumplestiltskin already knew. The man was helping Belle out. 

“What will we do during the free time?” Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“More than likely spend time with the Mills and the Charmings. We want them to like you. They are our strongest allies. The more you get to know them, the more comfortable you’ll be tonight,” Rumplestiltskin explained. 

 

Belle:

They were led down the stairs. Belle walked slowly, but she was more or less able to hide her limp the slower she went. Jefferson had taken her arm at the top of the stairs, which also helped. Bae glowered at the man slightly, but he walked in between Belle and his father. 

They entered the dining room that was full of food. Belle was able to school herself, but Rose wasn’t. The girl still wasn’t used to seeing so much food. Nor was she used to eating so much.

The Charmings were already there, waiting. Bae’s eyes lit up when he saw Emma. The sight made Belle chuckle. Her son was smitten so quickly by a princess.

But her son was a prince.

The thought was so foreign to Belle. So odd. She could barely comprehend it. And Rose would grow up to be a princess. Like Emma. 

Belle was at a loss as to where to sit. Rumplestiltskin was at the head of the table, of course. He sat Rose down in a chair next to him and Bae immediately sat next to Rose. Emma, it seemed, was dead set on sitting next to Bae. And Grace, who had just run in the room, slid in next to Emma.

Charming and Snow sat next to each other, and Snow gestured for Belle to sit next to her. She happily complied, glad for advice as to where to sit. She was far from Rose, though, who had never sat alone.

Luck was not on her side. When the Mills came in, Regina sat down right next to Belle, making her repress a shudder. Something about the woman set her off. Daniel sat next to Regina, and Henry stole the open seat by Grace, leaving Jefferson to sit by Daniel.

As everyone started to fill their plates, Belle watched Rose carefully. The girl seemed to be imitating what Rumplestiltskin did, grabbing whatever he grabbed. And her plate was filling up rather quickly.

“Rose. Are you going to eat all of that?” Belle called out, unable to resist. She didn’t want to, but her daughter didn’t look like she was going to stop piling food on anytime soon. Rose startled, glancing at her plate before looking at Rumplestiltskin’s plate.

“If she doesn’t eat it all, it won’t be too big of a deal,” Rumplestiltskin said lightly. He reached out and grabbed two oranges, handing one to Rose. The girl beamed up at him. Bae laughed.

“You’re spoiling her,” he warned. Rumplestiltskin shrugged.

“She deserves to be spoilt,” Rumplestiltskin said carelessly. Belle did agree to some degree, but she was worried. Rose wasn’t his daughter. Until she was officially married to him and Bae and Rose were officially his children, she was scared to completely let the girl get used to everything.

“So, Belle, where have you been, all these years? It’s a shame we didn’t have a way to make Rumple think logically these last ten years or so,” Regina said lightly. 

“Belle grew up in a small village a ways from here,” Rumplestiltskin answered quickly. Regina’s lips curled into a sneer.

“Ah. And why did it take you so long to bring her here?” Regina asked. Belle didn’t like the woman questioning her. It felt so personal, like she was looking for a way to destroy them.

“It wasn’t until she rescued me that I realized how much I owed her. And how horrible it was to be apart,” Rumplestiltskin said, casting what Belle assumed was to be a longing look towards her. Snow sighed at the gesture.

“How often did you guys get to see each other?” Snow asked. 

“He was always sneaking out. He left at least once every other week when he could. Always left me to cover him,” Jefferson said sarcastically. Belle was thankful she didn’t have to speak.

“Belle, darling, how did you ever stand being alone so often? I’m sure life must’ve been miserable, raising two children in poverty. And unmarried, too. How dreadful. How DID you survive?” Regina continued. Daniel grabbed his wife’s hand.

“Regina, that is a bit too personal,” Daniel chided his wife. 

“I hadn’t thought of that. I’ve heard of horrible things happening to single mothers,” Snow said, horrified. 

“And they couldn’t have been permitted to see Rumple; why, someone could have recognized him!” Regina exclaimed. Belle glanced over at Bae, who was staring at his mother in worry. Belle shook her head quickly. 

“You poor thing!” Snow said, throwing her arms around the girl. Belle froze, unsure of what to do. She glanced at Rumplestiltskin, who was glaring daggers at a successful Regina. 

“Papa still helped take care of us,” Bae said quietly. His words caught everyone’s attention. When he realized everyone was staring at him, he set his fork down and glanced up. 

“He came often and he brought us food when he came,” Bae lied. The boy seemed uncomfortable saying anything, but he looked as if he was more uncomfortable seeing his Mama in discomfort. Belle’s heart went out to the boy. 

“You didn’t have food?” Regina gasped. She wasn’t surprised though. 

“We had plenty of food,” Belle quickly said. She glanced over at Rose, who was staring at her plate, unsure of what to do. Rumplestiltskin had yet to eat anything, so she was at a loss of what to eat. Belle stood abruptly, making her way around the table to her daughter. She examined the food on Rose’s plate before handing her daughter the fork and pointing at certain foods. Rose tentatively stabbed the food with her fork and put it in her mouth. Her eyes widened at the taste of the food before she continued to do so. Belle gently pulled the fork from her, handing her the spoon.

She showed her which foods to eat with the spoon. She avoided the orange altogether; she had no idea how to eat an orange. As soon as she was content with her daughter being able to eat on her own, Belle made her way back over to her seat. 

“What happened to your leg?” Regina asked. Belle sat down, irritated she hadn’t been able to hide the limp.

“I was injured four years ago,” Belle said simply, hoping it wasn’t too rude. Rumplestiltskin’s appreciative nod said it wasn’t. 

“How?” Regina asked, appearing concerned. Belle shrugged.

“I was attacked in the woods. It wasn’t too big of a deal,” Belle lied. She realized attacked wasn’t the correct word a moment after it left her mouth. 

“They were trying to rob me,” she amended quickly. 

“Oh dear. And it never completely healed? How…irresponsible, Rumple,” Regina shot the words at Rumplestiltskin. He seemed to hate it when she called him that. 

“You said four years ago?” Daniel asked, eyes calculating. Belle nodded. 

“How did you get out of the woods?” he asked quickly. This question was one no one knew, not even Bae who had been asleep when she had returned. Every face stared at her, curious.

“A man found me and helped me. The…women who attacked me….left me for dead,” Belle said. She knew it would sound better if it were women who had attacked her. After all, that would take out them accusing Rose of being of someone else. She couldn’t have Rose be illegitimate. Not now. 

“Four years ago,” Daniel repeated, eyes wide. He jumped to his feet, eyes wide. Belle’s eyes widened as well. He knew. Oh, he knew. He stared at her, widened eyes, before glancing at Bae and Rose. Especially Rose. But that was more discreet. He slid back into his seat and moaned.

“God. I should have stayed. I shouldn’t have left,” he moaned. Belle’s eyes widened. No. There was no way. It was too big of a coincidence. It was him. The man who’d rescued her. Who was also a king. And he knew the truth. He knew the truth.

Shit.

“What are you talking about?” Regina asked. She looked furious but worried at the same time. 

“I…no. I found her in the woods. And helped her back to her cottage. And left her. I left. I should’ve stayed and made sure she was okay. She kept saying she was okay, but…I saw the boy and figured her husband would be home and wouldn’t appreciate someone else being there….but she wasn’t okay,” Daniel babbled. 

He wasn’t telling the whole truth. He was lying, for her. He had found her there, dress torn, blood on the ground. He’d known what had happened. He’d known there was no husband. And now, he knew where Rose came from. He’d asked her about her ‘brother’. Who he assumed was the boy. Since there’d been blood from her. He knew the truth.

Daniel shook his head, staring at her.

“You saved me. Twice, now,” Belle said, hoping he would drop the whole thing.

“Four years ago?” Regina asked, staring at Belle. 

“I was two months pregnant. And if Daniel hadn’t helped me to the house, I may’ve died out there. Rumplestiltskin had just left so he wouldn’t have been back for a long time, and Bae was only…8. He was too young,” Belle explained. Regina didn’t fully seem to buy the story but said nothing to discredit. She was thrown off at the thought of her husband doing something she had had no clue about. 

“We should finish before the food gets cold,” Rumplestiltskin suggested. Rose, who hadn’t stopped eating, glanced at him to watch what he did. Whatever he started eating, she switched to eating. The sight was almost adorable. As soon as they were finished, servants whisked out to take the plates away. They started to rise and head to the parlor room when it was announced another of the families had joined them. 

“It appears we’re to be graced with Avonlea’s royalty this year,” Regina said with a laugh.

“I’ve never met Avonlea’s royalty,” Snow murmured. Regina shook her head as well.

“Nor have I. They tend to stay away from this sort of thing. Did you still invite them?” Regina asked Rumplestiltskin, who turned to Jefferson. The man nodded.

“We send out invitations to all royal families. Wouldn’t want to insult anyone,” he said. 

“Except Maleficent. That woman scares me,” Jefferson said with a shudder.

“I heard she’s extremely unhappy about Aurora waking up,” Regina said with a sniff. 

“Aurora should be arriving soon as well,” Jefferson added. They continued towards the parlor, where the Avonlea royalty would be escorted in. Everyone sat and Belle managed to find herself next to Rumplestiltskin on a couch. Bae sat on the other side of Belle quickly, much to Emma’s disappointment. Rose wasted no time in climbing into Belle’s lap, something that made Belle ecstatic.

The king came first. He was followed closely by his wife and daughter. Belle’s throat nearly closed up. 

It was her mother.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

 

He was shocked when he realized how similar the daughter looked to Belle. She looked like she could’ve been Belle’s younger sister. And the mother also bore an uncanny similarity. He glanced at Belle, to see that she had lost all color. Another glance at the queen showed that she too had lost all color. 

“I am King Maurice of Avonlea, and this is my wife, Lily, and our daughter, Annabelle,” Maurice introduced. The Queen was frozen, staring at Belle. 

“Rumplestiltskin, I – I have to go,” Belle murmured, standing abruptly. She grabbed Bae’s hand as well, trying to hurry out of the room as fast as she could. She had to walk past them to get out the door. Rumplestiltskin watched as the queen grabbed Belle’s dress, stopping her.

“Wait – Belle, I can explain,” the queen said.

“What’s going on?” Rumplestiltskin asked, standing quickly. Belle pulled away from the queen but didn’t move. 

“Belle, come back over here,” Rumplestiltskin ordered. Belle reluctantly returned. Rumplestiltskin turned to her.

“Mom, who’s she?” Annabelle, the daughter, asked. Her voice even sounded similar to Belle’s. The King’s eyes widened as well as he stared between his daughter and Belle. 

“How precious,” Regina said from her seat. Rumplestiltskin glanced once more at the queen.

“Belle, I thought you said your mother died,” he questioned, but he could tell that wasn’t the case. The woman in front of him stared, eyes wide.

“She did. Papa said she was trampled by a horse,” Belle said, her eyes landing on her mother. 

“Of course the man did. He was too much of a coward to admit he lost her to me,” the king boasted. Rumplestiltskin’s blood boiled. It was all too clear what had happened. The other daughter was staring at Belle, eyes wide as well. She turned to her mother.

“Are you saying she’s my sister?” Annabelle demanded.

“Anna, quiet,” the queen murmured.

“Why didn’t you take the daughter when you took the woman?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Maurice laughed.

“Why would I? She wasn’t of my blood. And her mother didn’t have much of an issue with it,” Maurice said. Rumplestiltskin gripped Belle tightly. He thought of Rose. She wasn’t his blood, but he wouldn’t dare leave her behind. 

“That means nothing. If Belle had had a child before my son, I would have adopted them as well as my own children. Because it is the honorable thing to do,” Rumplestiltskin snarled. The king’s eyes widened as he glanced at the two children, the one in Belle’s arms and the one by her side. The Queen’s eyes widened as well. They were filled with almost joy. 

Then the king’s eyes narrowed.

“I could’ve sworn it was reported you were still unmarried,” he said. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“I am engaged. To the mother of my children,” Rumplestiltskin announced. The king’s eyes narrowed slightly. 

“Pity. Our daughter is of age and we were ever so hoping to connect the countries,” the king said. The king shook his head, scrutinizing Belle.

“And if only we’d gotten here first, we would have succeeded,” he added lightly. 

“I’m afraid not. Belle and I have been together for a little over twelve and a half years,” Rumplestiltskin said, remembering Bae’s new birth date they had given. The Queen’s eyes widened.

“Thirteen? You went after her at THIRTEEN?” the Queen seemed furious, but had no right to be furious. After all, she had left Belle. She had no right to act as her mother anymore. 

However, the age seemed to hit the other people in the room rather viciously.

“Cradle robbing, weren’t you, Rumple?” Regina taunted. 

“It does not matter. Jefferson, have them shone to their rooms. I would rather not associate with them,” Rumplestiltskin said drily. The king sniffed disdainfully and turned to leave, but the queen was still there. 

“Belle, I really am sorry,” she tried, but Belle wouldn’t even look at her. 

“Really, Rumple, I thought you had more control,” Regina purred. Rumplestiltskin spun on her.

“How old were you when you married Snow’s father? And how old were you when you and Daniel started seeing each other?” Rumplestiltskin shot back. Regina wasn’t happy with the accusations and they shut her up, thank goodness. 

The Queen and daughter left the room. Snow jumped to her feet. She pulled Belle from Rumplestiltskin and enveloped the girl into a tight hug. Rose wiggled out of it until Belle sat her on the ground. She ran over to Grace, who started playing with her. 

“Let’s go to my room for awhile. You need to relax. I’m kidnapping her Rumple,” Snow said. Rumplestiltskin nodded. The girl was so shaken. Maybe spending time with another woman would help her. 

“I’ll come to. I believe I have some stuff that may make her feel better,” Regina suggested, standing up as well. Rumplestiltskin was less willing to let Belle go with Regina, but he knew Snow wouldn’t let Regina harm anyone if she could help it. 

 

Belle:

Her eyes were swimming with tears as Snow and Regina led her away. Rumplestiltskin had restrained Bae to keep him from following. Still, they were walking when they heard raised voices. Snow put a finger to her lips and snuck up near the cracked door.

“I thought he was still single! We wouldn’t have come otherwise!” Maurice roared. 

“Dad, don’t worry. It’s not too late,” Anna said. Belle’s blood boiled. What?

“I can win him over. I look just like her. And I’m younger. And I don’t have children,” Anna said. 

“Why do we have to have him marry Anna?” the queen, Belle’s mother, asked.

“Because. It’s the only way to gain more power,” the king said. Snow quickly pulled them away from the door and they hurried to Snow’s room. Snow locked the room behind her, eyes wide.

“We’ve got to keep her away from Rumple!” Snow said. Belle didn’t know what to think. Her first thought was Rose. Bae would be safe. But what of Rose? 

“As much as I hate to agree with you, I must say you’re right,” Regina said reluctantly. Snow looked confused.

“You agree with me?” she asked her step-mother. Regina nodded.

“As much as I hate Rumple, I hate the thought of someone having more power than me. That’s why royal families don’t intermarry and when they do, they forfeit a kingdom like you did,” Regina said, more or less explaining it to Belle. Belle nodded.

“So we have to stop them from succeeding,” Snow interjected. Regina nodded.

“Whatever you do, do not agree to go anywhere alone with any of them. Do you have any marks that can identify you as you and not her? She almost looks like your replica,” Regina stated.

“She’s younger. And my leg,” Belle said. She lifted the dress slightly, showing the mangled ankle. Snow hissed and Regina nodded.

“Good. Don’t show that to any of them. Try to walk with as little of limp as possible. If asked about it, play it off. You can say Rumple is a bit rough in bed,” Regina said. Belle’s face turned a furious shade of red. 

“I’m assuming that can’t be too far from the truth. After all, he always appeared to be the kind of man who would be rough,” Regina continued. 

“We don’t really…do anything…much. We share a bed with Bae and Rose. We’ve only done…that….a few times,” Belle tried explaining. This made both other women’s eyes widen.

“You mean…you two don’t have sex that often?” Snow asked, confused. Belle shook her head. Never. But she couldn’t say that.

“How odd. Men always desire sex. I cannot imagine him sharing a bed without wanting sex,” Regina murmured.

“Maybe having two children in the same bed kind of dampens that,” Belle said drily. Regina couldn’t help but laugh at the girl’s words.

“I like you. You’ve got spunk. I don’t see spunk very often,” Regina said. Belle was shocked, but didn’t say anything. Snow turned and pulled something from her bag.

“Now, we need to recover from this morning. I have something that will make everything feel better,” Snow said, pulling out a small bag of colorfully wrapped objects. She dropped a few in Belle’s hand before offering some to her step-mother, who gladly accepted them.

“What is it?” Belle asked, unsure. 

“Why, it’s chocolate! It’s the most magical thing outside of magic that exists,” Snow exclaimed. Belle watched as the two unwrapped the chocolate and she mimicked them. When she placed the chocolate on her tongue, she realized she was in love.

Chocolate was the most amazing thing she had ever tasted.


	5. Chapter 5

Rumplestiltskin:

 

Rose whimpered the moment Belle left the room. She crawled up onto his lap without preamble, immediately digging her fingers into his hair. Rumplestiltskin shot a confused look at his son, who merely shrugged.

“When she’s really upset, she likes to play with hair,” Bae said before turning back towards Emma, Henry, and Grace. The four children were enjoying each other’s company, it seemed. Rose was not. Rose, who’s bottom lip was quivering as she twisted her hands in Rumplestiltskin’s hair. 

“When’s the wedding to be?” Charming asked, eyeing the girl who was mussing Rumplestiltskin’s hair beyond repair.

“We’ve given it no talk yet. We’ve only just arrived at the castle,” Rumplestiltskin responded absently.

“I wouldn’t recommend a long engagement. Those are the worst,” Daniel said, his eyes also on Rumplestiltskin. 

“Would I be able to talk to you, privately?” Daniel asked Rumplestiltskin. The man nodded, apprehensive. Rumplestiltskin rose, still holding Rose, and followed Daniel to a more private chamber. As soon as the door clicked shut, Daniel turned on him, eyes wide.

“She’s not your daughter,” Daniel said quickly, as if he were telling Rumplestiltskin the biggest secret in the world. Rumplestiltskin allowed an eyebrow to be raised.

“Oh?” he questioned.

“She was a virgin. I saw. And that boy…he’s your original son, isn’t he? The one we thought had died?” Daniel accused. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes darkened.

“Bae and Rose are both mine and Belle’s children first and foremost. No matter who gave birth to or fathered, them, they are our children,” Rumplestiltskin swore, his voice low. Daniel’s eyes were hooded and he nodded.

“So you know?” he asked, albeit hesitantly. Rumplestiltskin nodded. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at him.

“Okay. I was…worried you didn’t. But if you know…” Daniel drifted off. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“I know. She knows. Jefferson knows. Bae knows. No one else needs to know,” Rumplestiltskin threatened. Daniel nodded curtly.

“I understand the need for discrepancies. After all, you were the one who helped me onto the throne. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to marry Regina,” Daniel said. It was true. Daniel was indebted to Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin shrugged and turned.

“Now, how about we get back to the room?”

 

When they returned, Maurice, Lily, and Anna were in the room. Anna’s eyes lit up when he walked in, causing him to feel uncomfortable. Lily was staring at Bae, eyes forlorn. Bae had, it appeared, moved as far away from them as he could. 

Rumplestiltskin sat down in the seat farthest from them, gently trying to pull Rose from him. The girl hadn’t moved from her position and the only thing allowing him to know she was still awake was the continuous motion of her tiny fingers. He sighed and let her continue. 

He was utterly thankful when, a few minutes later, Belle, Snow, and Regina returned to the room. They appeared to have bonded, which Rumplestiltskin felt uneasy about. He was never too fond of Regina, and the thoughts of Regina manipulating Belle terrified him. He needed to tell her later that she couldn’t trust Regina no matter what. 

Snow deposited Belle next to Rumplestiltskin, although he was in a chair meant for one. Rumplestiltskin still moved over, allowing for the two to be tightly squeezed next to each other. Belle’s eyes met his and she nodded towards Rose. He shook his head, causing the girl’s fingers to tighten. Belle sighed.

“Rose, darling, you have to let go of Papa’s hair,” Belle tried, but the girl wouldn’t budge. The scene earned a laugh from Regina.

“Why Rumple, it seems you’ve been turned into the girl’s doll,” Regina said, her joke cutting. She was trying to make him look weak. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“Now, now, Regina, I’m sure even your ice cold heart melts enough to comfort your son when he’s upset,” Rumplestiltskin shot back. Regina crossed her legs under her skirt, leaning back into her husband’s side.

“Rumple, I do believe it’s high time the children had their own room. Belle was just telling us how she feels the two of you never get any…alone time,” Regina purred. Belle stiffened at his side and Bae’s ears seemed to perk up. 

“Regina! We agreed we would bring this up privately,” Snow hissed at her stepmother. Rumplestiltskin felt confusion settle over him. Belle’s reaction made him assume she was trying to screw him over again, but Snow was…in on it. Snow and her stepmother were never IN on anything. They were scheming. He knew better than to go against women’s scheming. 

“Belle, darling, if that’s what you wanted, you could’ve just told me,” Rumplestiltskin said, turning to the girl. She was slightly pink but managed a nod. 

“I thought it wasn’t proper to share a bed until married,” Anna immediately said, shooting a glare at Belle. Rumplestiltskin nearly glared at the girl but resisted. He didn’t like that look on her face. Her face was so similar to Belle’s yet he had already seen it twisted into expressions he had never seen Belle make. 

“Unless you haven’t noticed, they have two children. Which means they’ve shared a bed before,” Regina snapped at the girl. Rumplestiltskin was confused, as was Daniel. Regina never helped him out. It was…unnerving. Belle had a lot of explaining to do. 

Before Anna could retort, the doors were flung open. More guests had arrived. In was rushed King Thomas and his wife, Queen Cinderella. Their two year old daughter, Princess Alexandra, stumbled in sleepily behind them. Grace squealed and motioned for Alexandra to come her way, giving the child the doll she had made for her. Alexandra seemed to wake up with the new present. 

Rose pulled away from him slightly to see a girl near her own age. However, while Rumplestiltskin had been expecting the girl to slide down and go over to the girl, she didn’t. Instead, she sat down on his and Belle’s joined legs, watching everyone curiously. 

“Thomas, Cinderella, we have some new editions you haven’t previously met,” Rumplestiltskin said, waving his hands rather dramatically. He pointed towards the Avonlea party.

“That is the famed Avonlea royalty who none of us have seen before. King Maurice, Queen Lily, and Princess Anna,” Rumplestiltskin said. Each nodded slightly. Rumplestiltskin slid his arm around Belle’s shoulders loosely.

“This is my fiancée, soon to be Queen Belle, and my daughter, Rose, and my son, Baelfire,” Rumplestiltskin pointed with the names. Cinderella’s eyes widened at the introduction but she said nothing.

“Belle, darling, this is King Thomas and Queen Cinderella. That is their daughter, Princess Alexandra,” Rumplestiltskin introduced. He could’ve been more polite, but he didn’t feel like it. He figured it could be considered revenge for Anna’s previous snide comment. 

“We didn’t arrive alone,” Cinderella said wryly, stepping aside to reveal yet more royalty. King Philip and Queen Aurora, and a warrior he had never seen before. They had heard the introductions and their eyes followed to connect introductions with people. Cinderella gestured towards them, imitating Rumplestiltskin’s wild hand motions.

“This is King Philip and Queen Aurora, recently awaken. This is their warrior, Mulan, who assisted Philip in his quest,” Cinderella introduced. Maurice and Anna did not look happy to see them but said nothing. However, Bae surprised everyone. 

“Mulan!” he shouted, leaping to his feet. He ran over to the warrior and threw himself in her arms. Rumplestiltskin turned to Belle, only to see her smiling as well. Even Rose looked happy to see the warrior. He felt like he was missing something big.

Of course he was. He really knew nothing of his fiancée. He needed to start learning more about her. This whole being surprised thing was not making him very happy.

Mulan hugged the boy back and her eyes lit up when she saw Belle.

“I never got to thank you for what you did for me,” Mulan said, stepping forward. Belle smiled and shook her head.

“I didn’t do much. And you did thank me,” Belle said, her voice perfectly polite. Rumplestiltskin nearly beamed. She was going to fit in just well in court. Aurora stepped forward.

“Well, I didn’t get to thank you. Mulan and Philip told me what you did for them and I am eternally in your debt,” Aurora said. Belle didn’t know what to say to that.

“May I ask how your fiancée knows everyone, despite growing up in the middle of nowhere?” Charming asked, his tone sarcastic but Rumplestiltskin could hear the true questioning.

“I was trying to find a way to defeat a yaoguai to save my village. Nothing was working. I had travelled everywhere searching for information on it, and I ended up in Belle’s village, injured. I was low on money and she took me in. I ended up telling her about my problem, and she came up with a rational idea, an approach I hadn’t thought of. I tried convincing her to kill the yaoguai for me,” Mulan explained. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes widened.

“When was this?” he demanded.

“About a year ago,” Belle said quietly. Rumplestiltskin glanced back at Mulan.

“You tried to convince her to go out there after a beast, even though she was injured and solely responsible for two children?!” he all but roared. Mulan grinned and shared an all-knowing smile with Belle.

“That’s exactly what she told me. She wouldn’t have gone after it, if Bae hadn’t been listening in the whole time and decided he had to kill it,” Mulan said. Bae smiled and tried to take Mulan’s sword, which she pulled away from him. The boy pouted.

“But Mulan! You told me you’d teach me how to fight!” Bae complained. Mulan shook her head.

“We’re in the middle of a story. Later,” she promised the boy. 

“My son went after a beast?” Rumplestiltskin asked, his voice very low. 

“You don’t seem to know a lot about your fiancée,” Anna said haughtily. 

“It’s an unbelievable tale. I only told Aurora because she has seen the magic firsthand,” Philip offered. He motioned for Mulan to continue.

“When we realized Bae was gone, Belle left me with Rose and took off on her own. She took my sword with her, though it wouldn’t have helped her much,” Mulan said.

“I could barely lift the thing,” Belle added. 

“And you did look funny, trying to swing it around,” Philip added. Rumplestiltskin stared sharply at the man.

“You were there too?” he asked. Philip smiled and nodded.

“You’re going to ruin the story,” he complained lightly. Bae’s eyes were wide.

“I followed what Mama had said and found it! I was going to kill it too, but I slipped in some water,” Bae said, looking slightly embarrassed. Philip patted the boy on the shoulders reassuringly.

“Honest mistake, lad. There was water everywhere,” Philip said.

“Why was there water everywhere?” Snow asked, seeming confused.

“Water was the key to defeating the yaoguai,” Philip stated. Snow nodded but still seemed kind of confused.

“Belle doused the yaoguai in water. It collapsed,” Mulan said. 

“Mama was gonna kill it! But it started spelling something out in the dirt,” Bae said. Belle glanced down.

“I couldn’t read it, but I figured there was no way a beast could know how to spell,” Belle said softly.

“Mama threw some kind of dust on it, and it turned into Philip!” Bae said excitedly.

“Fairy dust,” Philip corrected.

“Where did you get fairy dust from?” Regina asked, her nose scrunching up. Rumplestiltskin had to agree with her. He despised fairies, despite having no logical reason. He just didn’t like the whole lot.

“I gave it to her,” Daniel admitted. Rumplestiltskin’s head started to spin.

“Why did you give her fairy dust?” he questioned. Daniel shrugged.

“When I left, I wanted to leave her with something. And all I had on me was some fairy dust. So I gave it to her,” Daniel admitted. Regina’s eyes narrowed.

“And where did YOU get fairy dust?” she asked. Daniel held up his hands.

“I’ll tell you later,” he says. Philip clears his throat.

“Anyways. Belle and Bae helped me back to their cottage and as soon as Mulan and I were well enough, we were able to take off to save Aurora,” Philip finished. Rumplestiltskin shook his head, staring at Belle.

“That story sounds way too complicated to be true,” Anna commented with a yawn. Maurice nodded.

“There is no way that all happened,” he agreed. Both Philip and Mulan glanced at Belle, and the girl blushed, shaking her head.

“Belle has proof,” Philip said.

“No I don’t,” Belle responded quickly. 

“Yes you do. I helped treat it. It wouldn’t have faded in a year,” Mulan added. Rumplestiltskin’s curiosity was peaked.

“She has a mark in the middle of her back from where the yaoguai burnt her,” Philip said.

“Well then, let’s see it,” Anna said.

“It’s there. I’ve seen it,” Rumplestiltskin lied. Anna didn’t look convinced.

“ How do we know it wasn’t just some birthmark?” Anna asked.

“She didn’t have any birthmarks,” Lily said softly. Anna and Maurice both glared at the woman. However, thankfully, the topic seemed to be dropped.

Mulan stepped closer and held her arms out for Rose, who, after a moment of hesitation, jumped into the woman’s arms. 

“You’ve gotten so big,” Mulan told the girl, rocking her slightly. 

“Your hair is long,” Rose said, fascinated. Rumplestiltskin couldn’t help but laugh.

“Her obsession with hair is going to have to lighten up a bit,” Rumplestiltskin said lightly. Belle shook her head.

“She wasn’t near as obsessed until you let her play with yours,” Belle retorted sharply. Rumplestiltskin shook his head, staring at the girl.

“I’ve created a monster,” he teased. Rose turned her head and stuck her tongue out at him. 

“Belle! You look positively exhausted. I think you and Rumple should get some rest before lunch,” Regina interjected. Belle didn’t look tired in the least. However, Regina was making eyes at him, hinting at her innuendo. Rumplestiltskin sighed and stood.

“Regina, DARLING, as much as I enjoy you intervening in my sexual life, I will have to ask you to back out of it,” he quipped quietly, hoping the children wouldn’t overhear. Still, he turned to Belle and offered her his hand. If anything else, he could figure out just what the hell was going on. Belle turned to Mulan.

“Can you keep an eye on Rose for me? Don’t let her out of your sight…she’s gotten mischievous,” Belle explained. Mulan laughed and threw the girl partially over her shoulder.

“No problem. Bae? Wanna learn sword fighting?” she asked. Bae leapt up, excited, as did Emma. Belle shook her head.

“I ask you to keep my children safe and you immediately bring out the swords?” Belle asks. Rumplestiltskin loves her openness. It is as if she’s forgotten everyone else. 

“Well, swords are my best means of protection. Philip, did you want to help?” she asked. The king lit up at the prospect but turned to Aurora. Aurora smiled.

“You did say awhile back I needed to work on handling a sword,” she offered. He took that as an invitation and, as Belle and Rumplestiltskin left for their bedroom, Mulan and her group left to teach swordfighting.

They entered the room together and Rumplestiltskin swiftly locked the door. The two sat on the bed, knowing it would be better for their injuries as opposed to standing.

“What’s really going on?” Rumplestiltskin asked, his voice quiet. The room had never before been complained of letting sound escape, but he wasn’t about to let it start then. 

“Avonlea is trying to gain more power than any other kingdom,” Belle murmured. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“Impossible,” he protested, but Belle shook her head.

“Regina and Snow were with me. They were trying to get you to marry Anna so they could have more power. And Anna is still going to try,” Belle said quickly. Rumplestiltskin had to hold back his laugh.

“Belle, that girl isn’t going to succeed. You shouldn’t worry about it,” Rumplestiltskin tried reassuring the girl. Belle shook her head.

“No. Rumplestiltskin, Regina is worried about it. And Snow. I don’t know why they hate each other, but they agreed to work together to make sure it wouldn’t happen,” Belle tried explaining.

“Of course. That would make sense. I was wondering why Regina was being so…helpful. How do you know she isn’t trying to just get you to doubt us and break up our ‘love’?” Rumplestiltskin asked sarcastically. 

“Look, I know you don’t love me. I got that. But if she gets through, guess who’s going to be hurt? Rose will be. Bae is blood. Nothing will happen to him. But Rose? Rose and I could easily be tossed out. What would that do to Rose? She likes you, Rumplestiltskin, she truly likes you!” Belle whispered the words in horror. She turned away real fast, hiding her face as tears started to fall. 

Rumplestiltskin sighed. He hated crying. He couldn’t handle crying.

“I’ll be careful. And Rose won’t be thrown out. I told you that already. Now, can you explain why Regina kept hinting at us getting alone together?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Belle wiped her eyes but refused to look at him.

“She said we shouldn’t let them know about my injury. Or any marks on me. Since Anna looks so much like me, so the few of us who know the truth would be able to tell who’s who,” Belle muttered. 

“And how does that have to do with us sleeping together?” Rumplestiltskin asked, not connecting the dots. Belle’s cheeks lit up.

“She said we would say you were rough in bed and that was why I limped,” Belle’s voice was barely audible. Rumplestiltskin let out a loud laugh at that one.

“She would say that. What else did she say?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Belle turned even redder.

“She said it couldn’t not be true. And I had to pretend I knew the truth,” Belle’s voice was barely a squeak. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“You can tell her next time that I am rough in bed. Just to see her reaction,” Rumplestiltskin said with another laugh. The girl was still rather red. She was blushing more than a virgin. 

A thought struck him.

“You know what it means when they say someone is rough in bed, right?” Rumplestiltskin asked hesitantly, hoping she did. Her incessant blushing proved she did not. Rumplestiltskin sighed.

“Just…pretend you know,” Rumplestiltskin told the girl awkwardly. He started to lay down but sat back up instantly.

“You’ve been withholding information from me,” Rumplestiltskin told the girl, his face blank. Belle turned to him quickly, eyes wide.

“I have?” she questioned. He could see fear. Oh he could see fear. The realization put the slightest of smirks on his face.

“First, you know King Daniel. Now, King Philip. Is there anyone else you know?” he asked. Belle stared at him for a moment, thinking. 

“I helped an old beggar once,” Belle mused. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“And this beggar? Was he another prince? Prince Charming, perhaps, dead set on keeping his scandalous love affair on the side?” Rumplestiltskin quipped. Belle couldn’t withhold the giggle.

“No. I don’t know who he was. He told me that, since I was kind to him, if I ever needed anything, to call for him and he would help me. It was after Rose. I daresay I cannot even remember his name now,” Belle said, her giggles turning into a frown. Her words made Rumplestiltskin uneasy. 

Only people with magic would be able to promise something as that. There were the fairies, but they were female. Maleficent would kill someone rather than grant them a favor. And the Dark One. 

He prayed it wasn’t the Dark One. The thought of Belle speaking with the Dark One sent horror through his very being. 

“Your town must’ve been larger than I thought,” Rumplestiltskin muttered. Belle shook her head.

“It was just a crossroads village. And my house was on the edge. Naturally, most people stopped there first,” Belle explained. Her lips had settled into a lazy smile. A lazy smile that intrigued Rumplestiltskin.

“Are you happy?” he asked, almost as if the thought would shock him. His words shocked her as well. 

“Yes. I-I do think I am,” she said, unsure of the words. Rumplestiltskin shook his head ruefully.

“I take you from your home after threatening to steal your son, force you to meet and mingle with all these people who look down on you, am forcing you to marry me, and yet you’re happy?” he asked. He was confused. She shouldn’t be happy. She shouldn’t. 

“Bae got to meet his father. His father loves him. Rose loves you like the father she was never blessed with. Both are eating better than they ever have. They are clothed, fed, and happy. If they are happy, I’m happy,” Belle said. 

“But are YOU happy? Besides that. Is being here making YOU yourself happy?” Rumplestiltskin pressed. The girl shook her head, a smile on her lips not unlike the one that had previously graced his own. 

“I am. I don’t know why or how, but I am,” she told him. 

“Good Gods, my masculine charms have brainwashed you already!” Rumplestiltskin said, placing a hand against his forehead in mock horror. Belle laughed at him lightly.

“You may have charms, but I wouldn’t call them masculine charms,” Belle retorted in between giggled. Rumplestiltskin frowned, leaning forward.

“Are you saying I’m not masculine?” he challenged. Belle tilted her head, an innocent smile splayed across her face.

“I never said that. I just said that your charms aren’t masculine,” Belle repeated boldly.

“We’ll see about that,” Rumplestiltskin murmured huskily before he launched himself at her.

It wasn’t his best plan. He was injured. She wasn’t the best herself. But somehow he managed to pin her down lightly and attack her lips with a passionate kiss. He had been expecting the girl to cower away from him, slap him…something. 

What he wasn’t expecting was her to respond wholeheartedly. 

Just as the night before, the two were locked together. Her hands dug themselves in his hair and his hands grazed her shoulder before starting to move downward.

Only to be interrupted by a violent pounding on the door. Rumplestiltskin groaned and propped himself up.

“How was that for masculine charm?” he asked her cheekily. The girl was breathless and, if what he was detecting was correct, slightly afraid. But she shook her head once more. Trying to maintain that brave streak she had been displaying.

Oh, it was that brave streak that would be the death of him.

The knocking continued. Rumplestiltskin groaned and sat up.

“We’re in the middle of something,” he called, hoping whoever it was would go away. 

“What if it’s the children?” Belle asked, fear taking over her as she struggled to get away from him. He let her and followed as she made her way to the door. She unlatched it and flung it open, revealing a flustered Jefferson. He took in the two of them, from Belle’s mussed hair to Rumplestiltskin’s not so subtle crotch, before shaking his head.

“I didn’t know that was seriously what would happen,” he chuckled. Belle looked anxious.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. Jefferson sobered up slightly.

“Rose won’t stop calling out for you,” he admitted.

“What’s wrong?” Belle repeated, her jaw stiffening.

“After Snow bandaged her up, she wouldn’t stop crying,” Jefferson said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

“BANDAGED HER UP?” Belle shouted, fear being replaced by fury. She rushed down the hallways, moving at an alarming speed for an injured woman. Rumplestiltskin and Jefferson were left to follow behind. 

Surprisingly, Belle made it straight to the parlor where she assumed the children were. She walked in, only to be assaulted by the cries of Rose. Rose had a bandage on her left arm and when she saw Belle, she rushed towards her. Belle pulled the child into her arms, murmuring sweet nothings into her ears as she glared around the room.

“What happened?” she asked. Her eyes found Bae next, who looked guilty and also wore a few bandages of his own. Her eyes slid over to Emma. The girl had a black eye and a few bruises that were forming on her arms. Aurora even had a bandage on her hand, and Philip was holding a cloth to his nose. 

“What. Happened?” Belle repeated. 

“I wasn’t paying attention. It’s my fault,” Mulan said quickly. Bae shook his head. 

“It was my fault. Emma and I were fighting and Rose came running up with a sword. She tripped and cut her arm and I slipped and hurt Emma,” Bae said, his eyes landing on the ground. 

“Rose, why did you have a sword?” Belle asked. The girl sniffled and buried her face into Belle’s shoulder. Belle sighed, sitting where she was on the ground. Rumplestiltskin sank to the ground next to her.

“Rose,” Belle tried. The girl refused to move. Rumplestiltskin leaned over and tugged the girl from Belle. Rose cried out, arms still reaching for Belle. 

“Rose,” Rumplestiltskin repeated Belle’s words. The girl’s eyes flickered between Belle and Rumplestiltskin before filling with tears.

“I just wanted to play too,” she cried. 

“Rose, swords are dangerous. Look at what they did to Bae and Emma,” Belle tried explaining.

“And Aurora and Philip, for that matter,” Rumplestiltskin added lightly. Both shot him a dirty glare, which he took pride in ignoring. Rose seemed a bit better at his words, but was still upset. He handed the girl back to Belle, now that she had given them an answer.

“Where did you get the sword?” Belle asked. 

“The box,” she said, as if it was common knowledge.

“What box?” Belle asked.

“My box?” Mulan asked, confused. Rose nodded.

“But I locked my box,” Mulan said slowly. Rose dug her hand into a small pocket in her dress and pulled out a key. 

“I wanted a sword,” Rose said, tears still streaming down her face. Belle took the key from Rose and tossed it lightly to Mulan, who seemed extremely apologetic. Belle wasn’t having it, though.

“Rose, you know better than to steal. You do not steal from people. And you do not mess with swords,” Belle told the girl sternly. Rose hiccupped but nodded.

“What exactly did this interrupt?” Jefferson asked. Rumplestiltskin looked up sharply at the man; it seems he had been saving the words for a moment he could get the best reaction from them. Of course. The man could be insufferable. 

“Why Rumple….you’re looking a bit…rumpled,” Regina snickered. Her eyes glided over his crotch, which irritated him immensely. He all but growled at her. 

“Isn’t it about time for lunch?” he finally managed out. Jefferson went to help him up but Rumplestiltskin waved him away. After that comment, he wanted no help from Jefferson. Belle got up slowly, walking in between Bae and Rumplestiltskin towards the dining hall. She gratefully sat in between Rose and Bae, the former who immediately stole the seat next to Rumplestiltskin and the latter who was sitting next to Emma (once more).

“Really, Rumple, are you trying for a third child before the wedding?” Regina mocked. Rumplestiltskin held back his anger, but only barely. Belle’s face was lit up by a blush.

“A baby!” Rose shouted, eyes wide, injury forgotten.

“No, no baby Rose,” Belle tried explaining, but the girl shook her head.

“I want a little sister,” Rose decided. Belle’s wide eyes met Rumplestiltskin’s unamused ones. This was not the conversation he wanted to have while eating. 

“You heard the girl. Bettered get right on that,” Regina snickered from across the table. Daniel grabbed her hand under the table, squeezing it gently. That woman was getting on his nerves.

“Okay,” Rumplestiltskin said, standing as abruptly as he could. Regina had the decency to look horrified.

“Well, not now. It would be rude to leave us here,” Regina mocked. Rumplestiltskin allowed a sadistic smile to form on his lips.

“Who said we’d leave?” he questioned. Yes. The reaction he was hoping for. The queen’s face lost a few shades of color instantly. He sat back down, knowing he had won. The food was brought out and he noticed that, unlike at breakfast, Rose didn’t put every food on her plate that he did. In fact, she didn’t put any food on her plate. Nor did Bae or Belle.

Rumplestiltskin grabbed some food and placed it on the girl’s plate. Rose stared at it for a moment before looking back up at him.

“I’m not hungry, Papa,” Rose said.

“And I’m assuming you two aren’t hungry either?” Rumplestiltskin asked Belle and Bae. Both nodded, almost puzzled he had asked.

“Papa, this is a lot of food. We aren’t…used…to eating so much,” Bae tried explaining. 

“Well, eat something. It’ll be a long time til supper,” Rumplestiltskin tried. Bae smiled ruefully at his words.

“A few hours isn’t a long time without food,” Bae told him gently. The boy’s manners were mimicking his mother. Rumplestiltskin shook his head, shooting a light glare at Belle.

“I see he seems to prefer your characteristics over mine,” Rumplestiltskin quipped. Belle shrugged lightly, reaching for a small sandwich. Bae did the same. The two were smart; they realized he would force them to eat something if they didn’t eat on their own. 

“So when’s the wedding going to be?” Snow asked suddenly. Her words nearly caused Rumplestiltskin to choke but he caught himself in time. He glanced over at Belle, who was already staring at him.

“We haven’t decided,” Rumplestiltskin said. Belle nodded quickly. Snow shook her head.

“That won’t do. I say you have it in two months,” Snow said decisively. 

“When did you earn the right to pick the wedding date? I was thinking sometime around December for the next Ball,” Regina said with a sniff. 

“Spring weddings are the most beautiful,” Aurora interrupted. 

“But it’s summer now! I doubt they’ll be able to wait a full year,” Cinderella said quickly. 

“I was thinking October,” Belle said quietly. Rumplestiltskin’s eyebrow rose.

“Four months?” he questioned. The girl nodded lightly.

“I don’t see why not,” she said. Snow nearly squealed in joy.

“Yay! I haven’t gotten to see the Dark Castle in the Fall before!” she cried.

“The Dark Castle?” Belle asked, confused.

“It’s what we’ve all nicknamed Rumple’s castle,” Snow explained. Belle didn’t seem to like the name but she made no move to vocalize her dislike. 

He realized then that he hadn’t heard anything from Belle’s mother or sister in awhile.

Belle

 

As soon as lunch was done, she gratefully headed back for her room. Jefferson had mentioned something about the whole afternoon being used to get ready for the ball. She didn’t know how she felt about that. Still, she was grateful to get away from the idle chatter.

Bae and Rose had chosen to remain with the other children for the moment. It was odd, not having her children with her, but while Belle felt as if she were missing a limb or two, she also felt…at peace. The feeling frightened her. 

Still, she retired to her room and found herself laying down, sleeping peacefully until the maids hurried in, brushing her hair and pulling her into a gown before she was even fully awake.


	6. Chapter 6

Rumplestiltskin:

He stayed away from the room, knowing Belle was resting. He allowed his servants to help dress him and the children in a side room so Belle could have privacy. They were dressed and waiting on her to enter the Ball. Rose was spinning around, watching her dress billow around her in awe. Bae watched his sister with a rueful smile.

“She’s so innocent,” Bae said. Rumplestiltskin couldn’t help but agree with the boy. 

“MAMA!” Rose shouted, running dizzily past them towards the door. Bae and Rumplestiltskin turned quickly in time to see Rose fall to the ground before shakily getting back to her feet. Belle took a step towards the girl and allowed Rose to falling into her arms, giggling. 

“Mama, mama, my dress looks so pretty when I spin. And then the world spins when I stop,” Rose said in between giggles. Belle appeared slightly dazed but nodded. She looked…tired. 

“We should get going,” Rumplestiltskin said, standing. He walked over to Belle and offered her his arm. She released Rose and Rose walked behind him with Bae. They made their way to the Ballroom, making a grand entrance. Many a person stared, murmuring as they saw him and Belle. They made it to the front of the room where Rumplestiltskin would greet the people.

“Welcome, to the annual Ball. I would like to welcome you all to my home. This year, I have the pleasure of introducing to you my fiancée, Belle, and my children, Baelfire and Rose,” Rumplestiltskin announced. His words made the murmurs increase. The Ballroom was filled with people of most backgrounds, from the kings and queens to dukes to even some of the common people who had clothes suitable for such an event. 

He was rather liked, especially by the people. Some of the royals did not like him, those who knew of his cursed temper, but otherwise they liked him. However, Belle was another story. He could see on the faces of those who hadn’t met Belle that they were judging her. Of course they were. She had had, in their eyes, two children out of wedlock.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the people began to mill around once more. Emma ran up and grabbed Bae by the hand, dragging him off to dance. The sight made Rumplestiltskin chuckle. He pointed them out to a stiff Belle. She cracked a smile but seemed almost pained.

“What’s wrong?” Rumplestiltskin asked her as Grace came up and took Rose with her to play. Belle watched Rose disappear into the crowd anxiously.

“They don’t like me,” she murmured, still staring after Rose. 

“They don’t know you,” Rumplestiltskin tried, but the girl shook her head.

“No. They don’t. But it would be worse if they did know me,” Belle said sadly. Rumplestiltskin shook his head, motioning for a servant to come closer. He took a flute of wine and handed it to Belle.

“Drink this. It may make you feel better,” Rumplestiltskin suggested. The girl graciously accepted it and sipped it slowly. He was proud of that simple gesture. She had watched the way the royals had drank and applied it. 

She had barely finished drinking when Jefferson appeared by them.

“Belle, would you care for a dance?” he asked. Belle shot a glance at Rumplestiltskin, who nodded to her. She handed Rumplestiltskin the flute before taking Jefferson’s hand and allowing the man to escort her onto the dance floor. 

He hadn’t had a chance to teach her to dance.

The thought crossed his mind the moment Belle had left his side. His eyes widened slightly. How idiotic could he be? But Belle allowed Jefferson to lead her to the dance floor and she followed his movements gracefully. 

“Well Rumple, are you going to dance with me?” a voice asked from behind him. Rumplestiltskin glanced behind him at Snow. The girl was smiling at him.

“We dance together every year. Don’t you dare back out on me now,” she teased, moving to him. She pried the flute from his hands and handed it to a passing servant before leading him down to the dance floor as well. 

“Did Belle tell you about what’s going on?” Snow asked quietly as they began to dance. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes sought out Belle, visibly relaxing when they saw she was doing exceptionally. 

“She mentioned something. Are you sure you heard correctly?” Rumplestiltskin murmured in response. Snow nodded.

“I am. So did Regina,” Snow added. Rumplestiltskin was silent for the rest of the dance. He left Snow in the arms of her husband as he returned to his spot. Philip had taken Jefferson’s spot, dancing with Belle. The girl looked slightly more at ease than she had before.

“Jealous?” 

Rumplestiltskin glanced at Daniel, who approached with two glasses of wine. He wordlessly handed one to Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin drank it a bit faster than what was proper, but Daniel said nothing about it. 

“I would be too, if I were you,” Daniel said once more. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“What? Trouble with your wife?” Rumplestiltskin mocked. Daniel shot him a mock-wounded expression.

“Despite what you believe, there is good in her. If there wasn’t, I don’t know how I could’ve fallen for her. But there’s good there. She just isn’t the best at showing it,” Daniel explained. Rumplestiltskin snorted at the words.

“She’s worried especially right now,” Daniel continued.

“Oh? What’s bothering her?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Daniel shook his head.

“I don’t know. Something’s out of balance in the kingdom. She can sense it. She mentioned it last night. Some sort of power struggle was taking place under all of our noses. She’s worried it’s Cora,” Daniel murmured.

“I thought Cora was dead,” Rumplestiltskin said, surprised. Daniel shook his head gravely.

“No. She was banished to Wonderland, but she’s very much alive. And probably has a contact in this world,” Daniel explained. Rumplestiltskin’s eyebrows furrowed.

“And what does she think of Avonlea?” Rumplestiltskin asked. He wanted to know what exactly was said of that. 

“She hasn’t said much to me. We haven’t had much alone time. But she doesn’t like them. She said she could sense some kind of dark magic on them,” Daniel explained. Rumplestiltskin stilled.

“Do they possess dark magic themselves?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Daniel shook his head.

“No. They don’t. She was confident of that. But she is worried about it. Keep an eye on Belle,” Daniel warned. Rumplestiltskin nodded as the song ended, finding himself moving towards the dance floor. It was about time he got a dance in with his fiancée.

 

Belle

Philip laughed at her as she stepped on his toes again. She hadn’t been that bad with Jefferson, but Philip was kind about it. Plus, it was much easier to listen to his laughter than the whispers of the people around her. They didn’t like her. She could sense the dislike rolling off of them in waves.

She could handle it though. She had handled it for thirteen years. She could handle it for one night. 

“Mind if I cut in?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Philip smiled at Belle and gave Rumplestiltskin her hand.

“As you wish. Bettered keep an eye on this one. She’s special,” Philip said with a wink. Belle held in her giggle at his actions and smiled at him before turning her smile to Rumplestiltskin. 

He pulled her to him and started leading them in the dance.

“How are you feeling?” he asked. She could hear faint traces of concern peppering his words. 

“I’m okay. I could use another of those drinks though,” she said lightly. He smiled at her.

“After this dance, we’ll go have a few more of those. It’ll make the night more bearable,” he promised. He spun her around carefully. 

“Do you not like Balls?” she asked curiously. He shook his head with a grimace.

“No. I loathe the things. However, they are required, it appears. The Summer Ball occurs here, the Autumn Ball at Regina’s palace, the Winter Ball at Snow’s Palace, and the Spring Ball at Cinderella and Thomas’s palace,” Rumplestiltskin explained.

“What about Philip and Aurora’s palace?” Belle asked, thinking of her friends. 

“They’ve been out of the system for awhile. Plus, their land is dangerously close to Maleficent’s castle,” Rumplestiltskin said. Belle tilted her head slightly.

“Who exactly is Maleficent?” she questioned. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“She possesses much dark magic. She’s the one who cursed Philip, I assume, and Aurora. She tried manipulating Regina, a time ago. We’re all lucky Regina resisted,” Rumplestiltskin told the girl. She nodded slowly. The song ended, and Belle smiled.

“I didn’t step on your toes,” she said happily. He nodded as well.

“I’m sorry. I was going to teach you to dance, but we ran out of time and I didn’t realize it until you were already on the dance floor with Jefferson,” Rumplestiltskin apologized. Belle shook her head.

“How about those drinks you were talking about?” she asked. He smiled at his girl….his girl? Oh dear…where did that come from? 

He hid his inner turmoil and led Belle to table where both procured a glass. Both sipped contently, watching the elegant twirls of ball gowns. 

“What is this? I’ve never had anything like it before,” Belle observed as she got herself another glass. Rumplestiltskin chuckled and followed her example.

“Wine. It is a taste all of its own,” Rumplestiltskin stated wryly. Belle sipped and her eyes flitted across the room.

“Where did Rose and Bae go?” she asked suddenly, turning to him with wide eyes. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“Don’t worry. There are more guards here tonight than there ever are. Bae is with Emma, and Rose is with Grace. They will be safe,” Rumplestiltskin reassured her, but she could see even he was worried about them.

 

Bae:

“This is boring,” Emma complained. Bae had to agree. He nodded, suppressing a yawn. Him, Emma, Grace, Henry, and Rose were sitting outside in the garden, watching as couples disappeared in the bushes. Rose had already picked about a dozen roses, allowing the other children to strip them of their thorns before arranging the flowers into her hair. 

“At least Rose is having fun,” he said. Emma nodded, watching as the girl tried to fit yet another flower into her already full hair.

“Someone has to be,” Emma retorted, leaning back against his shoulder and closing her eyes. Bae nearly stiffened at the contact, but barely refrained from doing it. Rose ran up to him, arms full of flowers that no longer possessed their thorns.

“Bae, can I go give Mama and Papa flowers?” Rose asked. Bae glanced over at Grace and Henry.

“I’ll take her there and back,” Grace offered, grabbing the younger girl’s hand. Emma sat up instantly, turning so she was peering inside the Ballroom.

“I’ve got to see what Rumplestiltskin does when she gives him a flower,” Emma said. Bae frowned.

“What do you mean?” Bae asked, not quite following. Emma gave him a maniac grin.

“Rose, as she did with us, will insist he puts it in his hair….that’ll greatly hurt his mascu…mascu…..it’ll make him look weak,” Emma stumbled over her words. Bae turned as well, watching as the little girl approached his parents. His Mama bent down and allowed the girl to tuck the rose behind her ear. 

His papa stared down at the girl, confused, until she grabbed his hand and pulled it as hard as she could. Both Bae and Emma chuckled at the sight. Belle clumsily scooped Rose up.

“Why’s Mama clumsy?” Bae asked, wondering out loud. 

“She probably drank some of the drinks. Mom says it makes people clumsy, and that we can’t have any,” Emma says, scrunching up her nose. Both watched as Rose leaned over until she was almost out of Belle’s arms. She grabbed Rumplestiltskin’s hair and tucked a rose into the hair. His Papa took the girl from his Mama’s arms before she fell, laughing at her. 

“He’s gonna leave it there?” Emma asked, shocked. Bae just shook his head, watching as Rose insisted on putting roses in the hair of anyone who stepped too close to them. Not only did Daniel, Jefferson, and Philip immediately have roses adorning their hair, but Rose even got Emma’s parents and…even more shocking….Regina covered in her roses. 

“Hey. Do you mind if I join you?” a quiet voice asked from behind them. Emma and Bae spun around quickly to see Queen Lily in front of them. His grandmother. Bae stared at her hard, remembering what he had heard from meeting her. He didn’t like her. 

“No. You hurt Mama,” Bae said decisively. Emma punched him in the side.

“That’s rude. You can stay if you want to,” Emma said. Bae nearly rolled his eyes. Of course this would be the one time that Emma would decide to be a real lady and follow rules. It was just his luck. 

“Baelfire…I wanted to apologize to you. I should’ve been around to meet you, to help raise you,” she said quickly, sitting down gracefully on a bench across from them. Bae bit his lip and stared defiantly at the woman.

“You abandoned my Mama. And you replaced her,” Bae spat out. The queen looked shocked at his words.

“I didn’t…I didn’t replace Belle,” she said, horror-struck. Bae shook his head.

“You called your other daughter AnnaBELLE. You were trying to replace Mama,” Bae shot back. The queen at least had the decency to look ashamed.

“It wasn’t my fault,” she tried.

“I wish you had been dead. I’d rather have a dead grandma who loved my mama than a live one who abandoned her,” Bae declared. 

“Mother? What are you doing out here?” a voice asked. Bae turned quickly, thinking it was Mama’s voice, but recognized the harsh undertone he never heard in his Mama’s voice. It was Anna. She didn’t have the rose in her hair. She looked just like Mama. Except a bit younger. But in the dark, he could barely tell the difference.

“You should come inside with us. Father is looking for you,” she said, shooting Bae and Emma a look of utter disdain. The expression sent a pang through Bae. He hated it. He never saw that kind of expression on Mama’s face, and seeing it on Anna’s face, which was exactly like his Mama’s face, was like a slap to the face.

The queen reluctantly stood and followed her daughter inside. She stopped on the threshold, turning to Bae.

“Please. Tell your mother I’m sorry. I truly am. I don’t think she’ll let me close enough to talk to her,” the queen said, her voice full of melancholy. Without another word, she left them to enter back into the colorful world of spinning royals and jealous peasants. 

Where had that thought come from? But as he stared back in there, he realized that that was the case. Most of them were jealous. They all held respect for his Papa, he could tell, but he didn’t like the looks they kept shooting his Mama. He knew those looks oh so well. He’d watched his Mama receive them over the years.

“So…now what do we do?” Bae asked, uncomfortable. Rose and Grace were still inside and Henry’s eyes were glued to Grace. Emma gave him a devious smile.

“Wanna go throw rocks at the ducks in the center pond?” she asked, her eyes gleaming. Bae shrugged.

“Why not?” he asked. He followed her as she all but ran through the shrubbery. It was almost a maze, especially for Emma, who was shorter than him. He could see slightly over the hedges, but it was only slightly. 

When they reached the center, Emma seemed slightly frustrated. Bae had had to correct her path a few times, something that had obviously hurt her pride immensely. Emma immediately picked up a handful of rocks and started chucking them at the sleeping ducks. The sun’s last rays were starting to fade. 

“Isn’t that…mean?” Bae asked. Emma shrugged.

“They’re ducks,” she answered apathetically. Bae grabbed her hand before she threw another rock, stopping her. She spun and glared up at him for a moment, momentarily forgetting the rock. She dropped it and jumped on him.

Bae had not been expecting the girl to tackle him. Having not been expecting it, he didn’t have the chance to stop her. She glared triumphantly above him, ripping her wrist from his hand. She pinned both of his hands above his head.

“I win,” Emma whispered.

“There was a contest?” Bae asked shakily. He didn’t know why his voice was shaky. Or why he felt weird, having Emma pinning him to the ground. He could probably throw her off of him if he wanted to…but that might hurt her.

“You challenged me. By grabbing my arm,” Emma explained, as if it had been an open declaration of war. 

“You win. May I get up now?” Bae conceded. Emma shook her head before she moved so she was straddling his chest.

“You’re my prisoner,” she said smugly. Bae took that moment to sit up. Emma, despite her belief that she had effectively pinned him, was dumped off of him. He stood quickly, only for Emma to lung at him again. 

The girl missed and fell straight into the pond.

Bae’s eyes widened. He scrambled to the edge, eyes darting around for the girl. He was about to dive in after her when two hands shot up from the water and grabbed him. He barely had time to grab a breath before he was pulled underwater.

Her hair was billowing in the water. Bae was surprised at how deep the pond was. It looked much shallower from where they had been standing. 

Emma had a triumphant smile on her face, her hands still buried in Bae’s shirt. She pulled him close to her and her eyes closed as her lips covered his. 

The action fully shocked Bae. He had not been expecting it, nor did he know how to react. He was still until Emma pulled back and pulled him with her to the surface. As soon as they broke surface, both were desperately gasping for breath. 

“What was that for?” Bae asked as soon as his breathing was regulated. Emma’s face seemed to drop.

“I like you,” she muttered. Her words confused Bae for a moment. She liked him? He liked her. But he also liked Grace, and Henry, and Mama. But he wasn’t supposed to kiss them, though, was he?

The words hit him. She liked liked him. His eyes widened and his mouth gaped open. Emma sighed and swam towards the shore, leaving him. Bae was barely able to grab the back of her dress, pulling her back.

“Wait- Emma!” Bae called. The girl spun as quickly as she could in the water and Bae noticed a few drops of water on her cheeks.

Tears. Oh crap.

“Leave me alone,” she muttered angrily. Bae pulled the girl closer, staring at her. He really needed to talk to Jefferson more about what everything meant. He truly didn’t understand girls.

But he did have a feeling of what she wanted.

He allowed his lips to cover hers, just as she had done to him underwater. After a moment, he pulled back. Emma had a bright smile on her face, until she glanced down.

“Mom’s going to kill me,” she muttered, staring at her soaked dress. Bae glanced at his own soaked attire.

“We could try to sneak in,” Bae suggested. Emma nodded, but he could tell she didn’t think it would work.

“Come on. We should at least get out. Maybe we’ll dry before we have to go inside,” Bae suggested, but he knew it was probably hopeless. Emma laughed dryly as she pulled out of his arms and swam towards the edge of the pool. Bae followed her.

“We’ve got maybe three hours before the last of the guests leave,” Emma stated. The two heaved themselves onto the dry ground. 

“We’d bettered at least get close enough to see what’s going on. Rose’ll freak if she can’t find me. And Mama will be worse,” Bae said awkwardly. Emma nodded.

“My parents would kill me too,” she said. Then she started giggling. Bae stared at the girl, unsure.

“Dad’d kill you if he found out you kissed me!” she said. Bae stiffened.

“You kissed me first!” he accused. The girl laughed and shook her head.

“Dad’s very protective,” she said with a laugh.

“Can we not tell him, then?” Bae asked. Emma laughed again.

“Are you wanting to keep it a secret?” she taunted. Bae nodded quickly.

“Please. I don’t want your dad coming after me with a sword. He was pretty scary when he was fighting Philip earlier,” Bae said. With that being said, his eyes slid over to her bruised eye.

“I really am sorry about hitting you earlier,” Bae apologized again. Emma shook her head.

“I woulda hit you harder. And if Rose hadn’t surprised us, you wouldn’t have had the chance to hit me,” Emma said confidentially.

“Is that so?” Bae asked, grinning at the girl who was the same age as him. She nodded.

“It is,” she said, jutting out her chin defiantly. 

“Well then, I demand a rematch. At a later date,” Bae teased. Emma nodded.

“I look forward to it,” she counters. The two finally made it to the front, only to wish they hadn’t. 

Waiting for them was both of their parents.

And neither set looked happy. 

Mama immediately rushed forward, folding Bae into her arms. Bae pulled back quickly. He would ruin her dress. The front was damp from the brief contact already. 

“What happened to the two of you?” Charming asked, his eyes immediately gluing themselves to Bae. He felt uncomfortable.

“Emma wanted to throw rocks at ducks and I tried stopping her,” Bae said. Everyone’s eyes fell on Emma.

“And then he let me fall in!” she accused, her eyes filling with tears. Fake tears. Bae could tell. She was going to try to pin everything on him. Oh no. That wasn’t happening.

“She tried tackling me! I just jumped out of the way! And she pulled me into the water!” Bae shot back. 

“Both of you! Stop!” Mama ordered. Bae stared at his mother, confused. She didn’t raise her voice. Now she was. Bae turned to Emma, shooting her a worried look. Emma shrugged and mouthed, wine, at him. Mama turned to his Papa expectantly.

“Bae, you need to go change at the very least. I’d say you’ve had enough fun for the night,” Papa told him. Bae nodded. 

“Same for you, Emma,” Charming said sternly. The girl lowered her head and nodded. 

“I’ll help you,” his Mama told him. She then turned towards Snow.

“I can help Emma with her dress as well. That way you don’t have to leave the Ball. I’m feeling a bit tired,” his Mama explained. Snow gave her a grateful smile.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

He watched in humor as Belle escorted Bae and Snow to the room that was now Bae’s and Rose’s. As soon as they were out of sight, Rumplestiltskin turned the Charmings with a smirk.

“It’s a good thing I have two children, with how those two are progressing,” Rumplestiltskin teased. Snow’s eyes widened slightly, but it was Charming who was shocked the most.

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“Those two are in love. Or think they are,” Rumplestiltskin said. Snow nodded in agreement. 

“I need to have a talk with Bae then,” Charming decided. Snow smacked him on the arm.

“Charming! You can’t scare the boy off!” she warned. Charming looked slightly ashamed.

“Just a little talk?” he begged, but Snow shook her head.

“Give them awhile,” she stated. Charming all but wilted at her words. Snow smiled and ushered all of them back inside the ball. 

“I’m going to go check on them,” Rumplestiltskin said, trying to make a beeline for the stairs.

“Nonsense. Give them time first,” Snow urged. Unfortunately for him, at that moment Anna appeared in front of him.

“Rumple! Would you dance with me?” she asked, biting her lip seductively. 

“I need to go check on my fiancée,” Rumplestiltskin said, but the girl grabbed his hand and tugged him to the dance floor.

“She can wait a while. Dance with me,” Anna begged. It seemed he had no choice in the matter. The girl drug him onto the dance floor and immediately pressed her body against his. He tried to space them apart, but the girl clung to him.

“Look, Anna, I really need to go check on my fiancée,” Rumplestiltskin tried once more. The girl sighed and pulled away.

“I was trying to keep you from getting hurt,” she said. Rumplestiltskin felt his pulse speeding up.

“Excuse me?” he asked, fighting to keep his voice low.

“She was sneaking off with one of the men after she dropped the children off. I didn’t want you getting hurt,” Anna tried. Rumplestiltskin detangled himself from the girl. He hurried out of the room. Gaston. He was going to hurt her.

He didn’t notice Anna sneaking out of the room as well.

He searched the halls near their rooms, the servant quarters, everywhere. He was about to return and check in Bae’s room when he heard moaning in the opposite direction. He stopped quickly and backpedalled. 

Gaston was buried deep inside of Belle, her back pressed against the wall as she moaned in ecstasy. It was her, it had to be her. She had on the dress, the rose behind her ear. 

“Harder. Please,” she begged. It sounded like her. Anna? No. It couldn’t be Anna. Anna couldn’t have gotten her dress. Anna was still in the ballroom. She looked older than Anna. It was Belle. 

He hurried away, his eyes never straying to her feet where there was no scar on her foot. He went into his room and closed the door, knowing there was no way he could face the rest of the ball that night. 

 

Belle:

 

“We’re really sorry,” Bae repeated once more as Belle pulled his shirt off. She tossed it into the corner and laid some clothes out for him before instructing the boy to turn around and finish changing. She made her way over to Emma and gently spun the girl around, unlacing her dress for her.

“I know. It’s okay. I was dying to get away from all of that,” Belle said lightly. Her head felt so light. She was bubbly. It was an amazing feeling. As soon as the girl’s dress was unlaced, she handed her some of Bae’s clothes.

“I’d give you some of mine, but I don’t have any in here,” Belle apologized. The girl didn’t seem to mind as she tugged the loose pants on. When both were done, they faced each other, causing Belle to laugh. Bae’s eyes were glued to the girl in his clothes. 

“You kids need to get some rest. Where’s your room at, Emma?” Belle asked. The girl bit her lip.

“I don’t remember how to get there,” she lied. Belle could see the lie, but ignored it. She shrugged and motioned towards the big bed that was Bae’s. 

“Fine. But I’m sleeping in the middle,” Belle said, crawling into the bed, ball gown still in place. The other two crawled into bed as well. 

It wasn’t until she could hear both of them snoring that she remembered Rose.

And oh, she remembered Rose. Her eyes widened and she detangled herself from the two, placing her pillow in between them before all but running down the halls. Where was Rose? Did Rumplestiltskin have her? She made her way back to the ballroom, eyes finding Snow White instantly. 

“Where’s Rose?” Belle asked quickly. Snow’s eyes widened as she glanced around.

“I don’t know. Rumple left earlier to find you, I assumed. It wasn’t too long after you left. Anna left immediately after him,” Snow added. Belle shook her head, feeling dizzy as she did.

“I don’t care. I need to find Rose,” Belle insisted. The two quickly scanned over the ballroom.

“Maybe she’s still outside with Henry and Grace?” Snow suggested. The two hurried outside. The children were nowhere in sight. 

“Where’s the pond Emma and Bae fell in?” Belle asked quickly, a feeling of horror growing inside of her. Snow’s eyes mirrored the horror as the thought settled in her head too. Snow started racing through a maze of bushes, Belle racing behind her as fast as she could. They had only entered the bush maze when Belle heard a splash. Her eyes widened even more as she pushed herself harder. 

They burst into the center of the maze where Henry and Grace were struggling down from a tree that hung over the pond. Belle’s eyes landed on the pond, where the ripples had already started to stop. Wasting no time, Belle dove into the pond. 

Her eyes opened against the stinging of the water. It was so dark out, but she caught the glimmer of gold. Her daughter’s dress. Belle swam towards the gold and grabbed the girl, the tiny girl who wasn’t moving. She pushed off the bottom of the pond and surged for the surface. 

She broke the surface and thrust the girl at Snow. Snow grabbed Rose and laid her on the ground, immediately covering the girl’s mouth with her own. Belle struggled but couldn’t get out of the pond on her own. The dress weighed her down. She forced herself to stay on the edge, watching desperately as Snow pressed on the girl’s chest and breathed in her mouth again. 

The seconds ticked by slower than what seemed to be possible until finally, finally, the little girl coughed up water. She gasped for air a few times before settling back down on the ground. Snow bent over the girl, pressing her ear to the girl’s chest, before smiling up at Belle.

“She’s alive. Exhausted, but still breathing,” Snow said. She handed the little girl to Grace, who struggled but with Henry’s help held her. Snow pulled the water-logged Belle out of the pond. Belle tried to stand but collapsed. 

“I can’t walk,” Belle said, glaring at her leg. Snow nodded.

“I’ll go get Charming and Daniel and I’ll be right back,” she reassured Belle before taking off.

“What exactly happened?” Belle asked, motioning for the two children to bring Rose to her. Belle pulled the girl to her chest, feeling the girl’s breathing. 

“We were climbing the tree and Rose followed us,” Henry said, eyes low.

“I told her to go back down, but she wouldn’t listen. We were farther up than she was. I started to climb down to bring her down, but she slipped and fell,” Grace said, her voice thick. 

“We were climbing down as fast as we could. Grace doesn’t know how to swim, and I didn’t know how deep it was. I didn’t want to jump in and get hurt and make Grace get hurt too while trying to save two of us,” Henry said. Belle stared at the boy, flabbergasted. The boy had kept his head and been smart in the situation. If he had jumped in, he very well could have been injured too. And his clothes weren’t too bright; she probably wouldn’t have seen him.

“You did the right thing. But please. Don’t climb trees with Rose again,” Belle begged. The two children nodded obediently, just as Snow returned with Charming, Daniel, and Regina. 

“Henry! What happened?” Regina asked, swooping down like a hawk.

“He did the right thing,” Belle said quickly. She felt her breathing sync with that of her unconscious daughter’s. 

Jefferson came running out, stopping in relief when he saw everyone was okay.

“Is there any extra rooms I can stay in tonight? I-I want to stay up and make sure she’s still breathing,” Belle admits. Jefferson nodded. 

“I understand. There’s a room next to the one Bae and Rose are in that’s open. I’ll have someone bring you clothes in the morning,” Jefferson said. 

“I can carry Rose for you,” Charming offered. Belle’s arms gripped her child closer to her.

“I can carry both of them,” Daniel said quickly, noticing Belle’s reaction. 

“Not in that dress,” Regina said. She made her way to Belle and unlaced the back of the dress quickly.

“You do have the right underclothing on right?” Regina asked, her voice a low murmur. Belle nodded and Regina helped her up. She was barely able to even stand while leaning on Regina. Daniel scooped her up carefully, out of the dress.

Charming picked up the dress. They carried Belle to the room Jefferson told them of. They had sat her and Rose down on the bed and were about to leave when Belle remembered Bae and Emma.

“Emma and Bae are asleep in Bae’s bed. I was sleeping in between them because Emma said she couldn’t remember how to get back to her room,” Belle said. Snow chuckled, shaking her head.

“Her room is right across the hall,” Snow said. 

“C-can I join them?” Henry asked Regina cautiously. Grace glanced up at Jefferson.

“Me too, Papa?” she begged. 

“If they are, make sure Henry is in between Bae and Emma,” Belle suggested. Regina sighed.

“It’s been a rough night. Sure,” she acquiesced. Jefferson nodded as well.

“As long as you go to sleep,” Jefferson warned. They all left the room, leaving Belle with a lone candle illuminating the room as she watched her little girl’s slow breathing continue, each breath painstakingly long, each breath reminding her how she almost lost her baby.

 

Maleficent:

 

She watched the scene play out, her smile curling on the edges of her lips. Everything was falling into piece beautifully. 

“She’s going to suffer,” Maleficent stated happily before turning to her guest.

“She will indeed,” Zoso stated, inspecting his disgusting fingernails. Maleficent tilted her head, observing the Dark One.

“What is in this for you?” she asked suddenly. Zoso’s disinterested expression turned to one of glee.

“Let’s just say I have ulterior motives. Just like you have by helping Avonlea out,” Zoso shot at the woman. Maleficent nodded, ignoring the feeling of unease that coiled inside of her. If it hadn’t been for that woman, Aurora would have remained sleeping and Maleficent would have had her happy ending. But no. SHE had to ruin everything. 

“How did you know she would find the king?” Maleficent asked suddenly. Zoso’s sneer returned.

“Mal, darling, do you not trust me?” he asked. The woman’s scowl deepened.

“I’ve had this planned for a long time. It’s taken many years for my plans to finally work,” Zoso explained. 

“Are you saying you planned on the king being thrown from the horse?” Maleficent asked. A sudden thought crossed her mind.

“His wife. You’re the reason she ran away with the son, aren’t you?” she asked. Zoso’s grin was one that terrified her.

“That’s only the tip of the iceberg,” Zoso said gleefully. Maleficent felt as if rose colored lenses had been ripped from her eyes.

“How much have you done?” she asked, on the verge of horrified. 

“Well, Belle’s mother wasn’t found by the king of Avonlea alone. Nor was Rumplestiltskin’s mother picked from the peasants at his father’s choice,” Zoso explained lightly. Maleficent stepped back.

“You’ve had something planned for those families for a long time. Why? What did they do to you? You couldn’t have just targeted random families,” Maleficent protested. After all, she never targeted random people. All of her actions came from wrongdoings against her.

“You’re right. But that, I’m afraid, is none of your concern.”


	7. Chapter 7

Rumplestiltskin: 

She never came to bed. He didn’t know what made him more mad, the fact that she didn’t come to bed or if she had tried to come to bed. Either one would have infuriated him. All he could see was Belle and Gaston. He dressed angrily, finishing just before Jefferson burst into the room. Didn’t the man ever knock?

“I want Gaston sent away immediately. I don’t care where. Somewhere he would die quickly would be nice,” Rumplestiltskin said as Jefferson headed for their closet. Jefferson stiffened. He slowly reached out and grabbed one of Belle’s dresses. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrowed.

“May I ask why?” Jefferson asked carefully. Oh, he knew. He knew. 

“I don’t have to have a reason. I want him gone. Today!” Rumplestiltskin shouted, spinning and slamming his fists into the stone walls until the red in his vision crept away. When he was done, he noted that he hadn’t broken skin – this time – so he didn’t have to worry about a bandage. 

Jefferson had slunk out of the room in that time. 

Rumplestiltskin all but stomped down to breakfast. Most everyone was already there, save the children and Belle. Of course Belle wasn’t there. She didn’t want to face him. Jefferson wasn’t back yet either. 

Rumplestiltskin threw himself down on a chair and started eating angrily. A few minutes into his food, the four children stumbled in, weary-eyed. All still in their nightclothes. 

Well, three of the four were in nightclothes. Emma was in Bae’s nightclothes. The children sat down, earning a chuckle from Philip. 

“Should we be worried?” he asked jokingly. The parents shook their heads, sharing some sort of inside joke. Rumplestiltskin didn’t understand and it made him even madder. Bae rubbed his eyes and glanced around.

“Where’s Mama and Rose?” Bae asked suddenly. Snow stood and grabbed the boy by the arm. She also grabbed Emma.

“Bae, something happened last night after you and Emma went to sleep,” she said hesitantly. She glanced over at Rumplestiltskin, but he shook his head.

“Oh, I already know about it,” he said, biting in a bit of his anger. Snow seemed surprised and slightly upset herself before turning back to the children. She whispered something to them and he watched as Bae’s face paled, as did Emma’s. Bae took off running out of the room and Snow had to grab Emma’s hand to hold her back. She led Emma to the table and they sat down.

“You can’t blame Belle for what happened,” Snow said. Rumplestiltskin nearly choked on his food.

“I can’t blame her? I have every right to blame her!” Rumplestiltskin all but roared. Regina, from across the table, shook her head.

“Snow’s right. She thought you had Rose,” Regina added. The fury dissipated and Rumplestiltskin was left in confusion.

“Wait- what?” he asked, trying to puzzle over the words. Snow and Regina shared worried looks.

“You don’t know exactly what we’re talking about,” Snow said slowly. Rumplestiltskin shook his head. 

“I would appreciate it if someone would tell me. Now,” Rumplestiltskin ordered. Before either woman could answer, Bae appeared, his face ghostly white. His eyes skimmed over the table, stopping on Mulan.

“Mulan! Can you come with me? Mama needs to be strong,” Bae said the last part mainly to himself. Mulan and Philip rose immediately. Rumplestiltskin stood too. He followed them to the room that was next to Bae’s room. Bae immediately ran into the room, as did Philip and Mulan. Rumplestiltskin stood in the doorway, eyes wide.

Belle was lying in a sitting position on the bed, wearing only her underdress – which looked as if it had been washed and dried while being wrinkled up – with Rose pressed against her chest. There were tears running down Belle’s face. Her eyes were bloodshot and never left Rose. 

“Belle! Snow told us what happened. What’s wrong?” Mulan asked, quickly crawling onto the bed next to the girl Belle shook her head.

“She won’t wake up. She’s still breathing – I’ve been watching her all night – but she won’t wake up,” Belle’s voice sounded haunted. Rumplestiltskin felt something akin to horror wash over him.

“What did you do to her?” Rumplestiltskin asked. The pain he felt started small but started to spread. It was as if he had lost his son all over again. Rumplestiltskin entered the room, the door shutting behind him. Belle’s eyes shot up, anguish tossing around inside of them like an ocean’s waves during a violent storm. 

“I left her at the ball because I thought YOU were going to watch her! That’s what I did to her. I trusted YOU,” Belle’s words were quiet yet harsher than if she had shouted them at him. Rumplestiltskin let out a hollow laugh.

“Trust? You want to lecture me on trust? I wasn’t the fucking Gaston in the hallways last night,” Rumplestiltskin shot back. 

“I don’t know what…fucking…means, but Mama was with me and Emma until she left us asleep to go find Rose,” Bae interrupted, eyes wide at the vulgar word.

“Please. Are you telling me that someone else who looks exactly like you, dress, hair, the rose, everything – was fucking him instead? She looked too old to be Anna,” Rumplestiltskin scoffed.

“You mean that dress?” Belle asked, pointing to a chair in the corner of the room. On it lay the ruined ball gown. It was wrinkled beyond means and stained with muddy water. The same muddy water stains on her underdress. And on Rose’s gown. 

“You could’ve done it before you found Rose,” Rumplestiltskin persisted stubbornly. 

“I haven’t even seen Gaston! And why do you care about what happened to Rose? It’s not like you’re her father,” Belle shot back at him bitterly. She realized her words and the people in the room a split second after the words left her mouth. 

“What do you mean, he’s not her father?” Mulan questioned. Both Philip and Mulan glared at Rumplestiltskin, waiting for an answer.

“I adopted her,” Rumplestiltskin finally said.

“Not yet you haven’t. You still haven’t signed the engagement contract,” Jefferson said from the corner. Rumplestiltskin spun around, eyes narrowing on Jefferson. He hadn’t seen the man when he’d entered. 

“Mama, why won’t Rose wake up?” Bae asked, interrupting the adult’s glaring matches. He poked the girl, who was as active as a dead body. The thought sent a shudder down Rumplestiltskin’s spin. Why did he have to compare her to a dead body?

“What exactly happened to Rose? We can finish this discussion later,” Rumplestiltskin finally said, staring down at Rose worriedly. He was fairly attached to the girl. Fairly? He was probably more attached to Rose than he was his own son. 

“She fell out of a tree into the pond. She couldn’t have been underwater more than two minutes,” Belle said quietly. 

“Why was she in a tree?” 

“She followed Henry and Grace up and they were trying to convince her to go down. We got to the clearing before either could get out of the tree,” Belle said.

“Two minutes underwater is a long time with no air. Especially if she fell in by surprise. She may not’ve gotten air before going under,” Philip said, a frown on his face.

“Snow breathed into her and pushed on her chest and she coughed up water. But then all she’s done has been breathing. And it has gradually slowed down,” Belle said, watching the girl’s chest. Bae jumped from the bed and made his way to the window, staring down at the town. The boy was worried too. 

Bae spun around though, eyes wide.

“Mama? Remember that beggar?” he asked. Rumplestiltskin remembered that tale she had told him. The one who said he would help her if she called on him. His stomach did flip-flops. 

“He’s outside. I think he’s from this village,” Bae said. He waved out the window and turned.

“He waved back!” he called. Belle looked up suddenly.

“I want to talk to him. Can you go get him? I want to talk to him alone,” Belle said, her eyes brighter than they were before. Rumplestiltskin turned.

“Jefferson. Escort him in. Bae, can you take Mulan and Philip back to breakfast?” Rumplestiltskin asked, but his words were more an order than a request. The boy realized this and his eyes narrowed. After a glance at Belle, who hadn’t protested the order, he huffed and left. The others did as well. As soon as the door closed, Rumplestiltskin spun on Belle.

“I don’t trust this beggar,” he said immediately.

“You don’t even know him,” Belle protested angrily. 

“And you do?” he shot back. Belle’s eyes dropped to Rose.

“I will do whatever it takes to save Rose,” she swore angrily. Rumplestiltskin shook his head. He sighed and, despite still not knowing what had happened the night before, climbed into the bed next to Belle. He stared down at Rose. The girl looked so much smaller when she wasn’t moving. 

“I love Rose too,” Rumplestiltskin said quietly. Belle’s eyes remained on Rose, but she nodded slowly.

“I know you do. I just…don’t know why,” Belle admitted. 

“She rooted herself into my heart. Brat. I knew I was in over my head when I woke up to a pretty girl sitting on me,” Rumplestiltskin quipped lightly, hoping to get a laugh out of Belle. The woman stared at him, eyes wide.

“She didn’t,” Belle breathed. Rumplestiltskin nodded solemnly.

“Aye, she did,” Rumplestiltskin said. Belle opened her mouth, but a sharp knock cut off any words that may have come from her lips.

The door opened and Jefferson led the beggar inside. He looked wary, but Belle nodded.

“You can leave, Jefferson,” Belle said. Her voice was stronger than he had ever heard it. He didn’t know what to think of that. Neither did Jefferson, it appeared, as he struggled to contain his confusion before closing the door. 

The beggar stepped closer, eyes glued to Rose.

“What happened to her?” he asked. Belle shook her head.

“She fell in a pond last night. We pulled her out and she’s breathing, but she hasn’t woke up. Please. Do you know of any way to heal her?” Belle begged. The beggar stared for a moment.

“I’ve heard stories. Of a…thing…that could heal her,” the beggar began. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrowed.

“No. If you’re talking of the Dark One, we want nothing to do with him. His deals are not something we want a part of,” Rumplestiltskin swore angrily. 

“The Dark One would be able to heal her?” Belle asked quickly. 

“No. He will not heal her. He would do something else, something twisted. Or he’d heal her and steal her away to be his,” Rumplestiltskin said, shuddering as he recalled the tales he grew up with

“He wouldn’t if you controlled him,” the beggar said. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes focused on the man in front of him. Something about this man seemed…off. Belle didn’t seem to notice it, but Rumplestiltskin didn’t trust it.

“How do you control him?” Belle asked. 

“He has a dagger with his name on it. If you can find the dagger, you control him,” the beggar said quietly. 

“How do you know this?” Rumplestiltskin asked. The beggar shook his head.

“I’ve heard…stories. How do you think the Ogre Wars ended as abruptly as they did? A Duke found the dagger and ended the war. He still has the dagger in his possession, I assume,” the beggar said. Rumplestiltskin shook his head. Belle was still staring at the man.

“And you’re sure he can heal her?” Belle begged. The man nodded.

“He can heal any disease, cure almost any curse,” the beggar said. Rumplestiltskin’s ears perked up.

“He can remove curses?” Rumplestiltskin asked before he could stop himself. The beggar nodded. No. They would have nothing to do with the Dark One. 

He was pulled from his thoughts by a sudden sharp breath. He turned to Belle, and her eyes were glued to Rose. The girl’s eyes were wearily blinking open.

“Mama?” she asked, her voice raw. Belle started to cry and she pulled the girl even tighter to her. Belle looked up at the beggar.

“Thank you. I don’t… I don’t know if you did anything, but thank you. It means the world to me,” she thanked him. The beggar nodded and turned to leave, turning before Rumplestiltskin could see the scowl of frustration appear on his face. Before he could see the scowl be replaced by an impish grin; the seed of curiosity had been planted.

 

Belle:

Rose was weak, yes, but otherwise normal. She wouldn’t speak of what had happened the night before, nor would she sit still. Belle finally allowed the girl up in favor of changing out of the ruined clothes. Jefferson had thought to bring clothes for both of them, Belle noticed in relief. 

Rumplestiltskin didn’t leave as they change; he merely kept his gaze out the window to give them the semblance of privacy. 

“Most of the guests who spent the night will leave today,” Rumplestiltskin said idly from the window. Belle struggled to get Rose’s dress over her head. The girl’s curls still had some wilted flowers tangled in them. She carefully picked the roses from her daughter’s hair, running her fingers through it carefully. 

“Who will stay?” Belle asked cautiously, finally satisfied with Rose’s hair. She tried to run her fingers through her hair but gave up rather quickly.

“The Charmings, and the Mills for sure. Given their closeness to you, I’d say Aurora and Philip will also stay, and I would bet that Avonlea’s royalty will remain another day as well. Everyone else will more than likely take their leave,” Rumplestiltskin said, finally turning around. 

“We still need to talk about last night,” Rumplestiltskin reminded her. Belle shook her head.

“I already told you. I did not see Gaston last night, nor did I do anything with him. The last time I have done what you are…talking of was Rose,” Belle said stiffly. Rumplestiltskin’s face showed that he wasn’t too sure he believed her, but he didn’t say anything. 

They made their way downstairs quietly, straight to the parlor where everyone else was once both Rose and Belle stated they were not hungry. They had only just entered the room when it was announced that someone was there to see Belle.

Belle’s eyes widened and her eyes met Rumplestiltskin’s, confused.

“Show them in,” Rumplestiltskin finally said. The door open and in walked a girl he recognized instantly. Red. 

Belle recognized her as well. The girl threw herself at Red, gripping her tightly. Bae and Rose ran over quickly as well, as soon as they saw the red cloak. 

“Red, what are you doing here?” Belle asked when she finally pulled away. The girl smiled at her, but Belle could tell she was slightly uncomfortable. She pulled a small doll – Rose’s doll – from her basket.

“I found this yesterday. I knew she couldn’t live without it,” Red said with a smile. Rose squealed and grabbed the doll, clutching it close to her as if it were her world. Belle glanced over at Rumplestiltskin, who eyed the doll. He recognized it, of course, but he couldn’t wrap his mind around how she was so happy over it when she now had three other dolls. Belle offered him a small smile.

“It was her first toy. It holds a special place in her heart,” she told Rumplestiltskin quietly. The man nodded but still seemed deep in thought. 

“Would you like to stay for awhile? Rumplestiltskin won’t mind?” Belle more or less asked the last part, shooting a glance at Rumplestiltskin. 

“We have plenty of room,” Rumplestiltskin said, knowing it was an open invitation. The girl smiled and shook her head sadly.

“I wish I could, but Granny needs my help at home. I will come back and visit,” she promised. She started to pull away but Belle gripped her arm.

“Red, what happened? You wouldn’t have come here just to bring the doll. It’s much too far of a walk,” Belle said, her eyes full of worry. Red bit her lip, glancing over Belle’s shoulder at the room full of people who were all watching, some in curiosity and others in disdain. 

“Actually, I ran here,” Red said slowly.

“And the wolf attacked the night you left,” Red added quietly. Belle gasped, instinctively pulling Bae and Rose close to her.

“How many were killed?” Belle asked. Red shook her head grimly.

“Too many to count. Granny thinks there’s more than one now,” Red admits quietly. Belle shakes her head.

“You can’t stay there,” she says quickly. Red shakes her head.

“No. We must. Trust me, Belle,” Red said. Belle shook her head.

“No. You and Granny were the only people to care about me there. I don’t want some wolf ripping you to pieces,” Belle whispered fervently. Red flinched at the words but continued to shake her head. 

“We’re…in the middle of something. Maybe when we finish?” Red said lamely. 

“Why don’t you two talk in private for a few minutes? Catch up before Red leaves?” Rumplestiltskin suggested, noticing the looks the others, especially the sister, was shooting at Red and Belle. Belle nodded gratefully and tugged Red out of the room. Bae and Rose started to trail behind her, but Rumplestiltskin grabbed the children and pulled them into the room. Belle spun around quickly, but Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“You two can talk alone. They’ll be fine,” Rumplestiltskin reassured. Belle nodded and led Red into the room she shared with Rumplestiltskin. 

“How are things really going?” Red asked the moment the door clicked shut. Belle shook her head. 

“Rose almost died. I got attacked, but was saved. And I found that my mother is alive,” Belle said bitterly. Red’s eyes widened and she shook her head.

“All in a few days?” she asked. Belle nodded shakily. Red’s eyes widened.

“Wait – the queen in the room with the bitchy daughter who was glaring at us?” Red asked. Belle was shocked to hear Red speaking like that. 

“Yeah,” Belle answered softly.

“What else is going on? Rumplestiltskin looked furious with you. He was hiding it, but I could tell,” Red said proudly.

“He thinks I had sex with my ex-fiancé, who is also here,” Belle said miserably. Red swore under her breath and shook her head.

“That won’t do,” Red said. Belle nodded. Red’s lips twisted into a smirk.

“You haven’t slept with anyone since you had Rose, right?” Red asked. Belle’s face turned red and that was all the response Red needed. 

“I have a plan,” Red whispered, her voice all conspiring. Belle tilted her head, staring at the girl. In the time she’d known Red, the girl had never been as…adventurous, Belle thought the word was…as she was now. It was a whole new side of Red. Belle wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she kinda liked this Red.

“You need to jump him. Show him you’re too tight to have had sex the night before,” Red said. Belle’s face flushed a dark red.

“R-red!” Belle sputtered, eyes wide in horror. Red shook her head with a smile.

“I know what I’m talking about. My best friend in our last town taught me all about this kind of thing,” Red admitted. This was the first Red had freely mentioned of her life before meeting Belle. Belle took it in eagerly. 

“What should I do?” Belle asked dubiously. Red started digging around in her basket before pulling out what looked like a canteen.

“Sip this all day. Very tiny sips, a few hours apart. Until a little before you’re ready to jump him. Then take a big drink of it,” Red said, handing it to her. Belle stared down at it.

“What is it?” she asked. Red smiled.

“Let’s call it liquid courage,” Red said with a teasing smile. She uncapped it and urged it to Belle’s lips. Belle hesitantly took a little bit into her mouth and swallowed. The liquid warmed her throat as it went down. She wanted to try another sip but Red pulled it away.

“That’s enough for right now. Remember, little sips. Now, when it’s time for bed, have the children sleep in another room if they don’t already. Then you can seduce him,” Red said.

“How do I seduce him?” Belle asked, biting her lip nervously. Red smiled warmly at the girl and pulled her over to the bed.

“Here. I’ll show you. Let him sit down, like this,” Red said, allowing Belle to climb into the bed. Red slowly crawled into Belle’s lap.

“Straddle his hips. Trust me, he’ll like it. You’ll dig your hands into his hair,” Red said, slowly embedding her hands into Belle’s hair.

“Lock eyes with him. I assume you know how to kiss. Kiss him passionately,” Red said, smiling at the girl. Belle nodded quickly. Red climbed off of the girl and pulled her off the bed.

“Okay, now you try,” she said, climbing into Belle’s recently vacated spot. Belle stared at Red for a moment.

She slowly crawled onto the bed and straddled Red, just as Red had previously done to her. She tangled her fingers into the girl’s hair and Red smiled.

“Good. Now. As you’re kissing him, untangle at least one of your hands. Run it lightly down his arm,” Red said, lightly pulling one of Belle’s hands from her hair and allowing the girl’s fingers to ghost down Red’s arm. She smiled.

“Just like that. Now, as he starts to get harder, push yourself against him. Like this,” Red said, pulling the girl down onto her slightly. Belle nodded, mimicking the action. Red smiled.

“Yes. Pull his hands to touch your chest. To cup them,” Red said, allowing Belle to maneuver her hands so that they were on top of Belle’s breasts. 

“God Belle, if I were a man you’d be turning me on,” Red complained with a smile.

“Then what do I do?” Belle asked, breathless from excitement.

“If you two don’t stop now, I’m going to have to ask to join you,” a deep voice asked from the doorway. The door slammed shut, causing Belle to jump off of Red in horror. Jefferson was standing in the door, eyes glued to the two of them.

“Jefferson! Don’t you ever knock?” Belle asked shakily. The man shook his head.

“If this is what I can walk in on, I’m never going to knock,” he promised. Red glared at the man.

“I’m teaching her how to seduce her fiancé, so unless you want to help you had bettered leave,” Red shot at that man. One of Jefferson’s eyebrows lifted gracefully.

“I can be a test dummy,” Jefferson volunteered quickly. Red continued to glare.

“Oh yes, because that is the best idea. We’d be even worse off, especially if Rumplestiltskin walked in to find his fiancée straddling another man. That’s what got us into this situation in the first place!” Red exclaimed. Jefferson’s startled eyes found Belle’s. 

“What?” he asked quickly. Belle shook her head.

“He thought he saw me with Gaston last night,” Belle said quietly. Jefferson scowled. 

“You’re right. You do need to fix that,” Jefferson stated angrily. He stalked over to the bed.

“Get up,” he said to Red. The girl stared at him but did as he said. He took Rumplestiltskin’s spot on the bed.

“Red, you can pretend to be Belle. Belle, stand in front of the door and watch exactly what we do. It’ll be good observation for you and if he does walk in, it won’t ruin everything,” Jefferson said. Red eyed him as Belle scurried to her spot at the door.

“So you want me to seduce you?” Red asked. The man nodded.

“If you can,” he challenged. Red’s eyes developed some kind of gleam Belle had never seen before. A challenge was issued. Red glanced back at Belle.

“Watch very carefully,” Red warned as she walked over to Jefferson, her hips swaying slightly as she did so. The girl pounced onto the end of the bed and slowly began crawling on her hands and knees until she was to Jefferson. The man watched her with anticipation. Red immediately straddled the man and pushed herself forward. Just as she had told Belle to do, she tangled her fingers in his hair and gave him a passionate kiss. 

Belle felt slightly wobbly watching them. Red’s fingers grazed his arms and the man had no issues with fondling her breasts. 

“This,” Red said breathlessly, “is where you will unbutton his shirt.” Red’s fingers deftly began to unbutton the man’s shirt. She stopped after a few buttons, which Belle was grateful for. 

“You can let him unlace you at that point. If he doesn’t make the move first, guide his hands to the back of your dress,” Jefferson said, his voice low. He didn’t move to demonstrate it. Belle watched as Red’s hips grinded against Jefferson.

She pulled away and stood.

“If he doesn’t help you from there, he’s gay,” Red stated. Jefferson stumbled to his feet as well, quickly buttoning up his shirt.

“Don’t act nervous. If you act nervous then he will do the honorable thing and stop,” Jefferson said. Belle nodded nervously. Red handed her the canteen again.

“Small sip,” she urged the girl. Belle did as she was told and Red handed the canteen to Jefferson.

“Slip her small amounts of that all day so she’s really ready for it,” Red instructed. The man nodded, eyeing the canteen.

“Was there a reason you walked in on us?” Red finally asked. Jefferson nodded suddenly.

“Rumplestiltskin wanted you to come down for lunch,” he said. Red smiled and shook her head.

“I must be going. Remember what we said, Belle,” Red said, pulling her friend into one last hug. With that, she was gone. Belle turned to Jefferson, who didn’t look interested in following her downstairs.

“Tell Rumplestiltskin I’ll be down in ten minutes,” he said, hurrying for his room. Belle, for the life of her, couldn’t figure out what he was doing.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

 

They had been gone for awhile. A long while. Rose had decided she was in a hair mood and had thoroughly messed up his hair before moving on to others. Snow White, Aurora, Mulan, and currently Regina had random braids in their hair, and Rose didn’t seem like she was anywhere near done. 

Rumplestiltskin was shocked Regina was letting the girl touch her hair. She let no one touch her hair, not even her husband (at least, not in public). Bae had left the room with Grace, Emma, and Henry to play in the gardens (after promising to stay away from the pond). Rose had refused to leave. 

She was chattering on aimlessly, switching topics so fast he had stopped trying to keep up. Most of it was mindless chatter, her repeating things she had heard and trying to make it make sense to her. 

“I wish I could read. Mama says that books are magical. But I can’t read,” Rose said sadly as she finished with Regina’s hair. 

“I will teach you to read,” Rumplestiltskin told the girl, wondering where Belle and Jefferson were. 

As if his thoughts had been a summon, Belle appeared in the doorway. Her lips were parted slightly and she seemed almost happy.

“Where’s Red and Jefferson?” Rumplestiltskin asked the girl before anyone else even noticed her.

“Red had to leave. Jefferson said he needed ten minutes after him and Red…talked,” Belle stumbled over the words and he could detect a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks. Talked? Not very likely. 

Regina’s thought mirrored his own.

“Must have been one hell of a talk if he needs ten minutes,” Regina said knowingly. Maurice was not too pleased with the topic.

“I would appreciate it if you could refrain from saying things in front of my daughter. She’s still a maiden and should be treated as one,” Maurice said, sending a glare at Belle. Rumplestiltskin knew what the man was implying, and he didn’t like it at all.

Rose didn’t either.

“I don’t like you. You lie a lot. And you’re mean to Mama. And you have a big nose,” Rose said decisively before climbing onto Daniel’s lap and attacking his hair. Maurice’s face turned a dark shade of purple as he sputtered, staring at the girl.

“Rose! That was not polite. Apologize,” Belle ordered, without hesitantly. Rose’s head whipped up to stare at her mother.

“But it’s true!” Rose complained. Rumplestiltskin wanted to laugh, had it not been serious. If he wanted to, King Maurice could try declaring war on his kingdom. That would not end well, he was sure. However, the king and his family were getting on Rumplestiltskin’s last nerves and they had only been present for a day. 

Belle’s gaze hardened. 

“I don’t care how true you believe it is, it is not. If you do not like him, that is your opinion. You have no right to voice it, if it insults others. I’ve told you before, you cannot accuse people of lying. King Maurice has never said a mean word to me, nor has he hurt me in any way. And his nose is of normal size. You, my dear, will have a large nose if you continue to lie,” Belle told her daughter firmly. Rose’s bottom lip quivered for a moment. 

“My nose won’t get bigger, will it?” she asked, tears already forming in her eyes. Belle offered the girl a small smile.

“It will if you do not apologize. And mean it,” Belle corrected. Rose bit her lip, just as her Mama sometimes did, and turned to Maurice. Her hands were buried in Daniel’s hair still, otherwise, he was sure they would be shaking. 

“I’m sorry,” she said. It was all she said, but Rumplestiltskin could tell the girl was genuine. Maurice nodded, staring in confusion at Belle. 

“I could have swore you didn’t like me either. Why are you making her apologize?” Maurice asked. His question was bold, brash, rather uncalled for, but Belle answered it anyway as she made her way to Rumplestiltskin.

“Because it is the right thing to do. My daughter will grow up knowing what is right and what she can and can not say,” Belle said, lifting her chin slightly. She sank into the seat next to her Rumplestiltskin.

“Aren’t you just the brave one today?” Rumplestiltskin said quietly, teasing the girl.

Jefferson appeared in the doorway, appearing rather relaxed.

“What was this about lunch?”

 

Lunch was a quiet affair. Rumplestiltskin noticed Maurice kept shooting confused glances at Belle. Anna glared even more at her half sister now than she had before, if that was even possible. 

“I’m afraid we must be leaving today,” King Philip announced as lunch was finishing up. Belle glanced up quickly, a sad expression flitting across her face.

“Already? You guys just got here,” she said. Mulan smiled at her, as did Aurora.

“We will visit. Soon, I hope. Maybe in between now and the wedding?” Aurora said lightly. Belle smiled at the girl.

“I’d like that. Although next time, I think we should refrain from the sword fighting,” she said teasingly towards Mulan. Mulan shrugged, as if it didn’t bother her.

“No worries. I’ll bring a katana instead. Bae’d love one of those,” Mulan said, her voice light with laughter. Belle’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped.

“A katana….like the one you had…no. Absolutely not,” Belle said, horrified. 

“What katana?” Bae asked excitedly, curiosity peaked.

“Remember that massive blade I had on the back of my horse?” Mulan asked. Bae’s eyes lit up.

“Please, Mama!” he begged, but Belle shook her head.

“You caused enough damage with a sword,” Belle reminded him. Rumplestiltskin hated seeing his boy look that down.

“We’ll work on sword fighting later,” Rumplestiltskin said quietly. Belle heard him; he knew she had to have heard him, but she pretended she did not. Lunch was finished without any other issues. 

After lunch Rumplestiltskin brought Belle with him and Jefferson to the library to sign the engagement contract. Rumplestiltskin had to spend a good deal of time teaching Belle how to both hold the quill and then sign her name before she could actually touch the document. Once Rumplestiltskin was satisfied with her signature, he handed her the document.

Belle bit her lip and examined it carefully. Rumplestiltskin and Jefferson exchanged confused expressions.

“What are you doing?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

“I’m trying to understand it. I – I don’t want to sign something I can’t read,” Belle said, unsure. Jefferson grabbed the contract and started reading it aloud. When he was finished, Belle’s eyebrows were scrunched together.

“I understand most of it, but why do I have to have a child within two years?” Belle asked. 

“They want to make sure there are plenty of heirs,” Jefferson explained. 

“Why does it say I have to surrender my free will?” she asked once more. 

“It’s a figure of speech,” Rumplestiltskin tried, but Belle shook her head.

“No it’s not. What does it mean?” Belle persisted. 

“It means you aren’t going to run off like my last wife did. It’s more about submission,” Rumplestiltskin tried.

“It’s in every marriage contract,” Jefferson added. Belle still seemed apprehensive. 

“Do I have the same rights? That I will not be left either?” Belle asked quickly. Rumplestiltskin glanced at Jefferson.

“It doesn’t say that, but it would look poorly for a king to throw away a wife,” Rumplestiltskin tried to explain. The girl didn’t seem overly reassured but said nothing. She hesitated.

“Can we sign the marriage contract now too? We can still have a public ceremony, but I’d rather just get all this signing out of the way,” Belle suggested. Jefferson nearly laughed before turning to Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin nodded. 

“My, you seem eager,” he said jokingly. The girl shrugged her shoulders.

“I would rather my children be set so if something happened to me in the meantime, they would for sure have a proper place,” Belle said decidedly. Jefferson started digging around in Rumplestiltskin’s desk, pulling out the marriage contract as well. He spent a few minutes altering it before slowly reading it aloud to Belle.

“Wait,” Belle stopped him suddenly, mid sentence. 

“It says, ‘the children of Belle and Rumplestiltskin’. Can we change it to or?” Belle asked cautiously. Jefferson stared at the contract for a moment before nodding.

“That would probably be the strongest way of wording it. What do you think?” he asked, directing the question to Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin nodded. 

“I think she has a point. No one else has to see it,” Rumplestiltskin said as he signed the document. Belle signed it as well. Jefferson initialed both, saying he was the witness.

“There. Your future, and the future of your children, is secure. How does that make you feel?” Rumplestiltskin asked, his tone slightly joking. The girl cracked a light smile.

“Much better. It’s nice to know that if I died, they would be taken care of,” Belle said softly. They started to leave, but Rumplestiltskin pulled Belle back. Jefferson continued to walk, oblivious.

“I know the contract did not mention this, but I do not plan on taking a mistress, and I am hoping you do not intend on taking a lover,” Rumplestiltskin said, his voice low. The girl’s eyes widened and she shook her head.

“Good. I just wanted to make sure we were both on the same page for that,” he said, smiling kindly down at her. Belle smiled back up. They caught up with Jefferson quickly and he smiled, handing Belle a canteen. Rumplestiltskin eyed the thing but Jefferson shrugged.

“She looked thirsty. Red said she looked like she was getting sick so she gave her this medicine,” Jefferson said, his lie smooth. Rumplestiltskin wasn’t too sure if he believed it, but the girl’s cheeks did have more color in them now. Maybe she had been getting sick. He was glad Red had noticed. 

“Come. I bet Rose has run out of hair to play with.”


	8. Chapter 8

(*Warning: this chapter has M rated content. You’ve been warned. I’ll mark where it starts as a warning for those who do not wish to read it.)

Belle:

Rumplestiltskin was right; Rose HAD run out of hair to play with. They walked into the room to see that everyone (save the Avonlea party who Rose had steered clear of) were sporting many braids and twisted hairstyles that would never have their day in court. Belle had to smile at the sight. 

Philip and Mulan and Aurora had waited for them to come back to say goodbye. For that Belle was grateful. She hugged them tightly each. She lingered with Mulan. There was something she had wanted to ask the girl but not had the chance.

“How are things between you and Philip?” Belle murmured. Mulan shot her a worried look but shook her head.

“He’s happy so I’m happy,” she murmured back. 

“Does Aurora know?” Belle asked once more.

“I know,” Aurora said quietly. Belle spun on the girl, but she just wore a bittersweet smile.

“It’s…unsettling, but understandable,” Aurora said ruefully. Belle nodded.

“I hope everything gets…settled,” Belle said awkwardly. The girls hugged her once more before leaving. 

The door wasn’t even completely shut before Anna started her attack.

“So Belle, how many instruments can you play?” Anna asked, feigning curiosity. Belle sank back into the couch, glancing at the girl.

“I can’t,” Belle admitted. 

“Oh. What a pity. How is your drawing?” Anna questioned. Belle tilted her head. 

“I don’t draw. I must apologize for my brashness, Princess, but I’ve spent the majority of my childhood working and raising my children. I had more important things on my mind than frivolities,” Belle spat out in as civilized a tone as she could muster. The moment the words left her mouth, she realized she should be horrified. But she wasn’t. It must’ve been the ‘liquid courage’ Red had given her. 

Anna pursed her lips. 

“So you don’t know how to do anything proper?” Anna persisted. Belle shrugged her shoulders.

“I know how to give birth and raise children. I don’t see how anything else is truly important,” Belle said sharply. 

“My dear, that’s what midwives and nursemaids are for,” Anna said with a laugh. Belle stared at the girl.

“I’m sorry Princess. Some of us weren’t raised with the privilege of such people. And I’ll say I’m pretty successful. After all, I have two examples of how I’ve succeeded at raising children. What do you have for your successes?” Belle retorted. Anna opened her mouth and closed it abruptly, staring at the girl. She turned to her father, expecting him to back her up, but the man was still eyeing Belle.

“Lily, you never told me how much like you your daughter was,” Maurice finally said. Lily shook her head.

“I left her when she was five. How was I to know how exactly she would turn out?” Lily asked, but while her words were similar to Belle’s, they lacked the certain fire that Belle’s words possessed. As if the fire in her had died. 

“Belle, can we talk about your wedding?” Snow asked quickly, eyes widening at the thought. Regina nodded as well.

“I don’t know how much longer Snow and I can afford to remain here. We should plan most of your wedding while we are here. You know, so you can have help,” Regina said with a smile. Belle seemed startled.

“Um…I don’t know anything about weddings,” Belle admitted honestly. She had never been to one. She had no clue exactly what happened. All she knew was that she was legally already married to Rumplestiltskin. The ceremony, on the other hand, would be difficult….

“Have you ever been to one?” Regina asked the girl, hitting the nail right on the head. Belle shook her head quickly.

“Belle didn’t exactly have the best reputation in her town. Something about being unwed with two children. That doesn’t exactly bring in the wedding invitations,” Rumplestiltskin said drily. Snow sighed sadly.

“Weddings are beautiful. I’m sorry you haven’t got to experience one,” she said. Her eyes took on a strange gleam.

“This just means we have to make your wedding absolutely perfect since it’ll be the first for you to attend!” Snow exclaimed triumphantly. 

“Indeed. I have a feeling that roses will play a major part in the wedding decorations,” Regina said, eyeing the little girl who had messed up her hair behind fixing. Rose glanced up at her name and smiled. 

“Rose has to be the flower girl,” Snow said.

“Flower girl?” Belle asked, confused.

“It’s a girl that walks with the ring bearer in front of the bride,” Snow explains.

“How old is Bae? He is probably better suited to be a groomsman than the ring bearer,” Regina assumed.

“Bae’s 12,” Rumplestiltskin said casually. 

“You sure got busy,” Charming stated, causing Belle’s face to heat up. She hated all of these innuendos. They disturbed her, especially when she understood them.

Jefferson passed her a small cup of tea. It had some more of Red’s drink mixed in, she was sure. Rumplestiltskin must’ve realized it too. Belle sipped it slowly, savoring the taste. 

“Henry can be the ring bearer. Bae can be a groomsman,” Daniel said decisively. 

“I’m obviously the best man,” Jefferson said. Belle was confused by all of these terms they were throwing around, so she decided to just sit back and listen to them, taking them in and hoping she would be able to retain what she learnt. 

“Obviously. Daniel and Charming can by groomsmen along with Bae,” Rumplestiltskin said with a snort. 

“And Philip,” Belle added in. She figured it was people of importance. And Philip was important, in her mind. Rumplestiltskin nodded.

“And Philip,” he repeated. 

“Bridesmaids and Maid of Honor?” Snow asked, turning to Belle.

“Maid of Honor? Um…Red?” she questioned. No one disagreed.

“Bridesmaids…Snow, Regina, Mulan, Aurora?” Belle continued cautiously. Regina shook her head.

“Darling, you’d have to add another male for that to work. See, they are more or less paired up. And Emma would be the ideal pairing for Bae,” Regina tried explaining. 

“We can come up with another man later,” Rumplestiltskin told Belle gently, patting her hand lightly. Belle nodded, relieved she wasn’t going to have to decide who couldn’t be in the wedding.

“It’s going to be a big wedding, right?” Snow asked excitedly. Regina let out an unladylike snort.

“She’ll want a small wedding, surely,” Regina said. 

“She could care less how big her wedding is,” Belle said drily. 

“Well then, we simply must invite everyone!” Snow said excitedly.

“I would like to have met the people before they show up though,” Belle corrected.

“The dwarves would make lovely guests. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind stopping by and greeting you,” Snow said. Regina snorted.

“Dwarves? Dear, be reasonable,” Regina said. 

“I am reasonable! They saved my life!” Snow said decisively.

“But they didn’t save Belle’s life,” Regina retorted.

“Please. You just don’t like them because they hid me when you were trying to kill me,” Snow spat. 

“Wait- you tried to kill Snow?” Belle asked, the air leaving her in a whoosh. Regina shrugged carelessly, examining her fingernails as if they were the most intriguing thing in the world.

“It was a long time ago,” Regina sniffed. Daniel put an arm around his wife, pulling her close.

“She was…cursed, to say the least. She doesn’t try killing people anymore,” Daniel said.

“Not all people, that is. Those pesky fairies are far from my safe list,” Regina responded automatically. 

“Who cursed you?” Belle asked, very interested. Over the years, she had heard whispers of curses but never more than the tiniest wisp of information. 

“The Dark One. Bastard,” Regina spat. Belle tilted her head, turning to Rumplestiltskin. He shook his head quickly. 

“Who is the Dark One?” Belle asked. 

“He’s not someone to mess with. He’s like a genie. He makes these horrible deals with you where he takes what is most precious from you and gives you what you desire in the wrongest manners. He’s pure evil,” Regina explained vehemently. 

“I heard he was cursed himself,” Anna said, eager to jump into the conversation. Belle’s half sister seemed to know of curses, Belle thought. The girl was almost jumping for joy at the contribution. Belle ignored it, though. 

“What broke your curse?” Belle asked Regina.

“I found Daniel. I had been informed he was dead, that Snow had led to his death. When I found Daniel, all the hatred I had sort of…dissipated,” Regina said.

“Not quite all of it,” Snow teased, and Regina laughed. She looked shocked as soon as the laugh left her lips. Snow seemed equally shocked. The two stared at each other for a moment before staring at Belle. She felt awkward. Snow shook her head.

“I don’t know what you did, but somehow…I think you’ve gotten rid of the last of hate between us,” Snow said to Belle. Regina nodded.

“It’s…odd. Rumple, you’d bettered hold onto this one,” Regina teased. Rumplestiltskin’s arm pulled her close to him.

“I plan on it,” he said. The words were sweet, if not slightly possessive. Belle shook the words off. 

“Why do you call him Rumple?” Belle asked.

“We grew up with him,” Snow repeated what she had told Belle earlier. Belle shook her head.

“No. Where did the nickname come from?” she asked. Neither Snow nor Regina met her eyes. She glanced over at Rumplestiltskin, who was glaring quite fiercely at the two women.

“I want to know!” Belle protested, pulling the arm off of her shoulder and crossing her arms. Rumplestiltskin matched her glare, unrelenting. Belle turned back to the two women. 

“First time Regina saw him,” Snow offered quietly. She kept her head staring at the ground. 

“What about the first time Regina saw him?” Belle prodded. 

“He had rolled out of bed late. His clothes were…rumpled. Terribly rumpled, I’ll say. It was before he was even a prince. When he said his name, I was too young to truly comprehend it, so I only took part of it. And he became Rumple,” Regina said. She immediately ducked a vase that shattered behind her against the stone walls. 

Belle turned to an innocent looking Rumplestiltskin. She sighed and stood up.

The world spun slightly for a moment, causing the girl to momentarily freeze. When the world straightened, she realized Rumplestiltskin was holding her arm. 

“I think you need to rest,” he murmured.

“I’m fine!” Belle protested loudly. Jefferson hurried to her other side, helping her out of the room. 

“I’m fine,” Belle continued to protest the entire way to the room. Bae and Rose were behind them. Jefferson sat the canteen down on a nightstand and ushered the children out of the room. Before he closed the door, he caught her eye and nodded.

The door clicked firmly behind him. 

*(M content in this section)*

“Belle, you seem kind of …” His sentence was never finished. Belle launched herself at the man. He wasn’t sitting on the bed, like she had practiced with, but she still did her best. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her as she shoved him backwards. He tumbled onto the bed, trying to sit up as Belle climbed onto his lap.

“Belle?” Rumplestiltskin asked, his eyes slightly darker in color and confusion etched onto his face. Belle quickly kissed him once more, burying her fingers into his hair. This time he kissed back. She wasn’t expecting his tongue to break through her lips, but she welcomed it. Her finger ghosted his arm as Red had showed her to do. 

Rumplestiltskin pulled back.

“Belle, you taste like rum,” Rumplestiltskin said, eyes more serious. They were still darker in color. Belle tilted her head.

“Rum. I’m going to call you Rum,” Belle said decisively. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“No. Belle, you taste like rum. Alcohol. Have they been giving you alcohol?” he asked worriedly. Belle pouted. It wasn’t working. He wasn’t giving in. why wasn’t he giving in? Belle fought to capture his bottom lip in between her own, her hands grabbing his as she did. Her hands pulled his up to her breasts, Ruby had told her to do. She experimentally squeezed, swallowing up the moan that came from Rumplestiltskin’s throat. 

She pushed her hips down onto his, delighted to know that at least he was getting hard. She was doing something right…wasn’t she? 

Belle’s hands left his. His hands remained on her chest, squeezing slightly. Belle’s fingers began to unbutton his shirt. She pulled from the kiss, eyes focused on his shirt. She pulled the last button free successfully and pushed the shirt off of his shoulders. 

“Belle. Someone gave you alcohol. You’re-you’re not thinking clearly,” Rumplestiltskin said shakily as her hands slid up and down his chest. Belle shook her head.

“Red called it liquid courage. I like it,” Belle said, sliding back slightly before attacking his pants. She fought against the ties. Rumplestiltskin, despite sounded very level, helped her quickly to rid himself of the offending clothes. He was left in underclothes and Belle was still full dressed. She threw herself back at him, tugging her hands behind her as she kissed him. His hands unlaced her dress faster than it had ever been unlaced.

The dress was on the floor next to his clothes instantly. Her underclothes followed quickly, as did his. 

It seemed their lack of clothing was what woke Rumplestiltskin from his lust daze. Belle was still perched on his lap, careful to not look down. She wanted more than anything to take another drink from the canteen but knew she would lose him if she tried that. 

“Belle, you don’t want to do this. You’re not thinking clearly,” Rumplestiltskin begged one last time. Belle tilted her head slightly before decisively pushing herself down on top of him.

“Do I feel like I had sex last night?” Belle asked tightly as she settled all the way down on him. Rumplestiltskin moaned at the contact. He filled her, completely and utterly, to the point of discomfort. It was too much. 

The pain seemed to wake her from whatever grip the alcohol had on her. She shouldn’t have done that. She shouldn’t have. But she had. Oh, she had. And it was much too late to go back.

Rumplestiltskin rolled her over so that he was on top. His eyes were even darker than before. Lust, she realized. That’s why they were so dark. He wanted her. He quickly thrust into her but froze at her wince.

“God, it’s been years since you’ve done this,” he said, horrified. Belle nodded.

“Only once. And then birth,” Belle said, the air leaving her as she spoke. Rumplestiltskin softened.

“We don’t need to do this. I believe you,” he said as he pulled back. Belle surprised herself by pulling him back down.

“We’ve already started. And we’re legally married. Think of it as a wedding night,” Belle murmured. Rumplestiltskin shook his head but nodded gratefully.

“For a moment, I thought you were going to make me suffer.”

*(M content is finished)*

 

After a good few hours of passion and screams, the two managed to get out of the bed. Rumplestiltskin helped lace Belle up and the two found their respected clothing. He noticed the canteen on the nightstand and opened it, sniffing the contents experimentally. 

“This wasn’t medicine,” he said. Belle shook her head.

“This, my dear, is rum. Alcohol. And it messes with your head. Please don’t drink it again,” Rumplestiltskin begged. Belle tilted her head.

“But I felt braver with it, Rum,” she protested. Rumplestiltskin winced at the name.

“Why are you insisting on calling me Rum?” he asked. Belle smiled slightly at the man in front of her.

“I’m your wife. I should have some name for you. Would you rather me call you Rumple just as Snow and Regina did? I could have screamed Rumple before. How would that have made you felt?” Belle asked. He winced at the thought of that. 

“Not Rumple. I couldn’t imagine the thought of Snow or Regina crossing my thoughts in bed,” Rumplestiltskin said with a shudder. Belle smiled at him. 

“We should go check on the children,” Belle said, her mind immediately flickering to her worried children. She hoped they weren’t too worried. The two exited the bedroom to find Jefferson’s hat dangling from the doorknob. Rumplestiltskin let out a low chuckle.

“That was mighty creative of him. Tell me, dearie, did he know what was going to happen?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Belle blushed.

“Him and Red showed me what to do,” she admitted. Rumplestiltskin couldn’t hold in his laughter this time.

“Remind me to set up lessons for you next time Red comes to visit,” Rumplestiltskin said with a laugh. Belle placed Jefferson’s hat onto her head, covering her messed up hair and the two of them made their way to the parlor.

It was later than usual. After supper. They were eyed when they entered. Jefferson and Bae were not there.

“Nice hat,” Snow said with a laugh.

“I found it on our door knob. I wonder what he meant by it?” Belle mused, causing a bunch of sputtering and coughing, especially from the Avonlea party.

“What does it mean?” Henry asked, turning to Regina. The woman’s face turned a dark shade of red as she turned to her husband.

“Dad will explain it to you later,” Regina promised, only for Daniel to blanch. 

“Where’s Bae?” Belle asked quickly.

“Jefferson took him aside to talk to him about twenty minutes ago. Something about, ‘the talk’,” Charming said helpfully. Emma crossed her arms and huffed.

“They wouldn’t let me go,” she complained. 

“Why is Jefferson giving me son a talk?” Belle asked, confused. Rumplestiltskin shook his head before leaning in to Belle.

“He’s explaining to Bae more about sex…since he was so generous to start that conversation before,” Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle felt her cheeks flush. 

“There has been a change with Rose while you were gone,” Snow spoke up. Belle’s eyes shot up instantly. 

“It appears that Anna’s talk of playing instruments has intrigued Rose. So she has taken an interest in the piano,” Regina said distastefully. Rose nodded eagerly and ran up to Belle and Rumplestiltskin, grabbing one of each of their hands before pulling them before the small piano that rested in the corner of the room. 

The girl sat down quickly and her fingers ghosted over the piano with a smile before the girl started to play a very simple rhythm. 

“Anna showed that to her and she caught onto it before Anna had even finished,” Regina added. Anna, Belle noticed, looked irritated. 

“What do you mean, she just caught on?” Belle asked, staring at her daughter in confusion.

“I mean, I wanted to show her she couldn’t play the piano without proper instruction, and she started playing it,” Anna spat, obviously distraught. Belle stared at her daughter, confused.

“Rose, where did you learn to do that?” she asked. She had no piano. No one in town had a piano. Rose was always with her. It unnerved her. Rose smiled and shook her head before starting to play something else. This was equally simple but it was so soothing. 

“It just told me how to play it,” Rose said gleefully. Belle shook her head.

“Rose. It can’t tell you how to play it,” Belle said, worried. The little girl shook her head and laughed.

“Oh Mama, yes it can! Listen!” she said, pulling her hands away from the piano. Belle stared at it, but she felt nothing talking to her. Nothing. Except worry about her daughter. 

The doors opened and in strode Jefferson and Bae. Bae started to hurry toward Belle but froze when he saw Rose. The girl stood from the piano and smiled sheepishly at her brother. 

“Rose,” Bae hissed, hurrying forward. 

“Bae, why is she saying the piano told her how to play it?” Belle asked, sensing a secret untold. The boy grabbed Rose and pulled her close, whispering harsh words into the girl’s ear. Rose pushed away from him angrily.

“They were being mean!” Rose protested. 

“Enough! What is going on?” Belle asked, feeling her patience fade away. Her exclamation shocked Bae and Rose, who had never heard her speak like that. 

“Rose is a fast learner,” Bae lied smoothly.

“Fast learner implies that she was partially taught,” Belle pointed out. Bae didn’t bat an eyelash.

“Moraine’s parents had a piano,” Bae said quickly. 

“Who’s Moraine?” Rumplestiltskin asked curiously.

“The neighbor girl who was the same age or so as Bae. Who I thought was his friend. But apparently wasn’t,” Belle said, turning to Bae expectantly. Knowing she wouldn’t receive an answer from Bae, she turned to Rose.

“What else can you do?” she asked. Rose looked excited to share, but Bae was shooting her glares.

“Don’t,” he said quickly. The girl shook her head at him.

“I can spin!” she said cheerfully. 

“Did you spin while I was asleep too?” she asked. Rose shook her head.

“Bae wouldn’t let me. But when you left us at home, if I could beat him to it, I did!” she exclaimed cheerfully. Belle’s eyes narrowed. 

“You weren’t supposed to go near that. Spinning wheels are dangerous,” Belle protested.

“If they’re so dangerous, why did you have one where they could reach it? Not very good parenting,” Anna commented, seeming glad she could add an insult in.

“When you live in a one-room cottage and your only source of income is spinning, you don’t have much of an option,” Belle shot back, eyes never leaving Rose. She turned to Bae.

“What else has she picked up on?” she asked. Bae kept his mouth shut. 

“Rose?” Belle turned to the girl.

“I did better magic than the travelling magician once!” Rose said triumphantly. Belle’s jaw dropped in horror.

“You did magic?” Belle asked in horror. Bae moved in front of the excited Rose.

“No. She just outtricked him,” Bae lied quickly. 

“She can do magic?” Regina asked, curious.

“No. She can’t,” Belle said instantly. Regina stood up casually and stared at Rose before she disappeared in a purple cloud of smoke, reappearing next to Rose. The girl squealed in joy and stared at her for a moment before she closed her eyes tightly. 

Belle watched, horrified, as the girl disappeared, only she left a slight rose-colored cloud. She reappeared next to Daniel. She wobbled slightly. Daniel steadied her instantly, eyes glued to Regina’s. 

“She can mimic what she sees, apparently. And go beyond that, if what she was doing with the piano is any proof,” Regina stated. 

“But where would she have gotten magic from? And when?” Belle asked, still horror-struck. Magic seemed terrifying to her. And the thought of her little girl having something that could corrupt her so sent Belle into a fit of rage at whoever had done it to her.

“How long has she been doing stuff like that?” Belle demanded, turning on Bae. Bae’s eyes were still on the ground.

“Since she was born. I’d tell her to stop crying and she would. I would ask her to say something, and most of the time she did,” Bae murmured. 

“So she was born with it. Her parents gave her the magic. Which one of you has magic?” Regina asked, staring between the two of them. Belle’s expression of horror met Rumplestiltskin’s equally horrified expression. 

“No. Something must’ve happened. Bae wasn’t born with magic,” Belle said, swallowing thickly. 

“Maybe the…women who attacked you…while you were pregnant…had something to do with it?” Daniel suggested. 

“Who attacked you?” Belle’s mother asked sharply, eyes wide in anger. 

“Some women. It was dark,” Belle said evasively. 

“So she’s cursed as well? How fitting,” Jefferson muttered. Belle spun on him.

“As well? What do you mean, as well?” Belle asked, horrified. Jefferson’s hands instantly went up.

“Bae got his papa’s curse passed on to him,” Jefferson said.

“What curse?” Belle asked, turning to Rumplestiltskin, wide-eyed. 

“You didn’t tell her about your curse?” Snow asked quietly. Belle was all but furious.

“What is this curse everyone but me seems to know about?” she asked loudly, angrily. 

“I have a bit of a problem controlling my anger. It takes me over,” Rumplestiltskin admitted. His words sank in as Belle tried to review everything she had seen him get mad over. The vase. That was all she had seen. But…

“Bae?” she asked brokenly, thinking to the night her son had attacked her. Rumplestiltskin nodded uncomfortably as a sob escaped Belle. 

“Wait – he’s cursed?!” Anna exclaimed, spinning on her father.

“You never told me he was cursed!” she complained. He shushed her.

“We’ll talk later,” he murmured. Belle’ head was spinning oh so much.

“Mommy! Do you think I can go anywhere?” Rose asked excitedly. Belle’s head whipped up, eyes wide.

“Rose, no. No, please don’t try!” Belle begged, but the girl had already closed her eyes.

And vanished.

Belle threw herself in the spot Rose had been. Bae pulled her back to her feet, but Belle couldn’t hold back the tears. She glared at Regina.

“Why did you show her that?” Belle all but cursed. Regina looked confused.

“She shouldn’t be able to copy things so easily. That’s…terrifying. She must have a lot of power,” Regina said in awe. Belle’s eyes hurried to find Rumplestiltskin’s. 

“Why now? She never showed any signs of this before,” Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin shook his head helplessly. But stopped.

“She almost died. Maybe that triggered it?” he suggested. Belle didn’t have the chance to respond. Rose appeared in the middle of the room, swaying slightly as she did. Her wide eyes turned to Belle and she held her arms up.

“I wanna go to bed,” she all but whined. Belle scooped the girl into her arms and nodded. 

“We’re going to retire for the night. Until tomorrow?” Rumplestiltskin asked, gesturing towards Bae, who also stood. 

“We must leave tonight. To get heading back. Trouble at home,” Maurice announced. Lily looked pained at the announcement but said nothing. 

“We won’t leave until after lunch tomorrow,” Regina said, and Snow nodded in agreement. 

“Why are they leaving?” Bae asked the moment they had left the room.

“They have to go back to their own kingdoms,” Rumplestiltskin tried to explain. His words seemed to deflate poor Bae.

“Is someone feeling lovesick?” Belle teased the boy, but he pulled away from her, sulking.

“Ah, young love,” Rumplestiltskin said with the ghost of a smile.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

They had only entered the children’s room when Rose spun on them, eyes wide.

“I met someone,” she said. Belle exchanged worried glances with Rumplestiltskin.

“Who did you meet?” Belle asked.

“Where did you meet them?” Rumplestiltskin asked, his question coming only seconds after Belle had begun her question. 

“I went back to our cottage. But there was a girl there. Moraine?” Rose asked, testing the name. Bae’s head shot up. He nodded tersely.

“Moraine was there. She told me that her uncle could do magic like me,” Rose said.

“Why did you tell her you could do magic?” Belle asked sharply. Rumplestiltskin gently rested his hand on her shoulder.

“I didn’t! But I appeared right in front of her!” Rose explained, as if talking to someone who was incompetent. 

“What exactly did she tell you?” Bae asked cautiously. Rose shook her head.

“She told me he could see the future. And told me how he did it,” Rose said gleefully. 

“Rose, don’t do that. You don’t want to know what happens in the future,” Belle begged the girl. Rumplestiltskin was more hesitant. Couldn’t knowing the future be helpful? He shook the thought from his head quickly. 

“But I did already!” Rose exclaimed happily. Rumplestiltskin shot a worried look at Belle. 

“What did you see?” Belle asked shakily. Rose smiled cheerfully.

“I’m gonna get a baby sister!” Rose said happily. Belle’s legs seemed to give out. Rumplestiltskin tried to grab her but failed, falling down with her. Bae hurried over, trying to help the two of them to their feet.

“Rose, of course you’re going to get a baby sister or brother. In two years,” Rumplestiltskin said. That was what the engagement and marriage contract had said, anyways. Rose shook her head.

“No! I’m getting one sooner!” Rose said happily. Belle’s eyes were filled with almost horror as her eyes met Rumplestiltskin’s eyes before they flitted over to Rose once more.

“How much sooner?” Belle asked quietly. Rose stopped for a moment and closed her eyes tightly.

“The beginning of….March!” Rose said excitedly. Belle’s face drained of color as her eyes shot to Rumplestiltskin’s eyes. March. Nine months away. As in…

“Are you saying Mama already has a baby inside of her?” Bae scoffed. Rose tilted her head before skipping up to Belle and placing her hand on her stomach. The hand glowed slightly before Rose pulled it back.

“Moraine told me how to do that too! There’s a baby in there! But she’s…floating?” Rose said, her eyebrows bunching together. 

“Rose, don’t say anything to anyone else. The two of you need to go to bed,” Belle ordered shakily, finally managing to get to her feet. She hurried out of the room and into their bedroom, Rumplestiltskin hot on her trail. The door was barely closed before Belle turned to him, tears in her eyes. 

“But…it was only a few hours…how?” Belle asked, clearly shaken. Rumplestiltskin was shaken as well, but he didn’t want to let her see that. After all, she seemed upset enough without knowing he was also upset. That wouldn’t do. He tugged her into a hug and pulled her towards the bed.

“Sh…lay down. It’s okay. She said the baby was…floating. Maybe that means it’s there but not attached or growing yet. It’s been a rough day. You need to rest,” Rumplestiltskin told her soothingly, sitting on the bed next to her. Her eyes still held unshed tears. 

“Rum…I…this….too much,” Belle murmured, dejected. Rumplestiltskin shook his head, unlacing her dress for her. 

“Shhh. Just…go to sleep. We can talk about these things in the morning,” he said soothingly. 

It wasn’t until they were both laying in bed, both almost naked and in each other’s arms, that Rumplestiltskin realized it would have made more sense for Belle to have slept with Gaston. After all, the baby would have had more time to be…sensed?

When he glanced down at the sleeping Belle in his arms, tears still glistening from the corners of her eyes, he realized that no, that couldn’t have happened. She had given herself to him, the first time since having Rose, and, despite the alcohol that assisted her, had done so completely on her own. 

He was going to be a Papa again.

 

Zoso:

His plans were falling into place perfectly. It had taken years: oh so many unbearable years, but he was finally going to be free. The thought left him almost giddy in excitement. After all these years of working out the fine details, his plan was snowballing to the finale with perfect precision. 

He waved his hand over the mirror, dismissing the images from his sight. He had seen all he needed to. The girl had been easy to manipulate; most children were. Rose hadn’t saw the urge to check if he was really who he was saying he was. That girl Moraine would have never been seen talking to the girl. Nor would she have been inside of their old house. But Rose believed it readily.

He was slightly impressed. The girl was a prodigy. He knew she would inherit some magic, but the extent had shocked him. Something about Belle must’ve made her more prone to absorbing magic. That was all he could think of. All he knew was that the girl was truly remarkable. 

Any child of his would have to be.

He chuckled as he thought back to that part of his deceit. It was simply too easy. No one would ever suspect that Gaston’s friend had not raped Belle; no one, for that matter, would suspect Belle had been raped at all. It was mere misfortune that so many of the royals had known Belle already.

Or was it misfortune? It could very well work in his advantage, and he knew that. Belle had wormed her way into the hearts of so many royals. That may benefit him, if he played his cards right. 

His thoughts trailed towards Maleficent. That woman would be the only flaw in his plan. She was incredibly predictable. He was slightly worried of Regina as well. One wrong move could set Regina off on some psychotic path of revenge, and that would greatly interfere with his current plans. 

Maleficent’s mind was set on revenge. Revenge against Belle currently. After she had gotten rid of Belle, she would go after Mulan, Philip, and finally Aurora herself. That worked in his advantage. She was so focused on revenge that she couldn’t see him manipulating her. 

And she was manipulating Maurice. It was sad how easily the king of Avonlea had fallen for her deal. An image of the king came up unbidden to his mirror. The king was wearing the same thoughtful expression he had had on earlier that day in the parlor of the Dark Castle. Of course. He was beginning to admire Belle. 

He didn’t want to hurt the girl. However, it wouldn’t take much convincing on Maleficent’s part to pull him from his hesitations. After all, the man was consumed by a desire for power. Belle stood in his way. In the end, Maurice would do whatever Maleficent suggested. 

Anna was doing what she was supposed to. He was slightly disappointed that Rumplestiltskin had been so easily convinced by Belle she was not the one rutting with Gaston, but it aided his own benefits. Rumplestiltskin, although it would take him a long time to admit it to himself, let alone to others, was infatuated with the girl. And he trusted her. 

And if he wasn’t infatuated enough to become desperate and do anything to save her, Zoso knew how to put the pressure on him. One flick of his wrists and he could harm Bae or Rose. Not Rose. Maybe Bae. Zoso wouldn’t admit it, but he did ever so like the girl. She put off an aura of comfort, he assumed. That was all he could think of. How someone so…good…had come from him, he was unsure. 

If it wasn’t for his liking for the girl, he would have allowed his plan to move faster and not cured the girl when he did. But he couldn’t do that. The girl looked so pathetic. He could wait a bit longer. Plus, it was more full-proof for him to wait and let the plan fall into place. This allowed him more assurance that when the time came, Rumplestiltskin would do what was necessary. 

He wasn’t about to have Rumplestiltskin chicken out. It was a major risk on his part, allowing for his dagger to rest in someone’s hands once more, but he was done. He was sick of this life, of the risk of being controlled hanging over his head like a too-full raincloud about to release its contents on the earth. 

He shuddered as he thought back to the time he had been under control, under control of someone so pathetic it nearly brought Zoso to tears thinking of it. Years of his life, wasted, until he had been able to trick a peasant into stealing the dagger.

Unfortunately, that peasant had not had what it took to kill Zoso and release him from the hell he lived on earth. This time, he would have the perfectly crafted person to obtain his dagger and take on the curse as his own.

He chuckled. 

His plan was perfect. And he would finally get his last revenge on the people who cursed him to begin with.


	9. Chapter 9

Belle:

She woke up wrapped in Rumplestiltskin’s arms and feeling safer than she had ever felt. Despite everything, something about being in his arms made her feel…safe. At home. 

“Are you feeling better?” Rumplestiltskin asked, his voice rumpling in his chest. Belle nodded, only for her head to spin.

“My head hurts,” she complained, surprised. Rumplestiltskin laughed.

“It’s called a hangover. That’s what happens when you drink alcohol,” Rumplestiltskin told her. She moaned quietly.

“I don’t want to drink any of it again,” she complained. Rumplestiltskin continued to snicker at her.

“If what Rose said is correct, you won’t be drinking until you have the baby,” Rumplestiltskin told her. Belle’s hand slid down to her stomach thoughtfully.

“It seems like too big of a coincidence. The two times I’ve had sex I’ve gotten pregnant,” Belle mulled. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“It only takes one time to get pregnant,” he reminded her. She glared up at him.

“I kind of know that…” she told him irritated. 

“As much as I’d love to stay in bed all day, we should probably get up before someone barges in the room. You do want to see Snow and Regina before they leave, yes?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Belle nodded quickly, lurching unsteadily to her feet. Rumplestiltskin quickly steadied her. 

They were up and in the process of picking out clothes when the maids scurried in. Rumplestiltskin sighed as they surrounded her. Belle felt the same way.

“I can help my fiancée get dressed, you know,” Rumplestiltskin said from the other side of the room. His words shocked the maids. They turned to him.

“You never helped Milah get dressed,” one of the older maids stated. Milah. The name sent a wave of rage through Belle. It was Milah who could have killed Bae. 

“I also didn’t share a bed with Milah often. Now, I can take care of getting her ready,” Rumplestiltskin said drily. The maids one by one left the room, not without the older maids shooting furious glares at Rumplestiltskin. 

The door was barely closed before Rumplestiltskin laughed. 

“They think I’ll get rid of them since I don’t need them to dress you,” he told Belle. Belle stared at him, tilting her head.

“Why do you not like them, Rum?” Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin shrugged. 

“You don’t like them. Don’t say you do. I can tell you don’t. And I hate having people walk into my bedroom unannounced. One of these days, I plan on giving them a reason to knock first,” Rumplestiltskin said darkly. Belle almost missed what he meant until he shot her a very clear look. Belle immediately looked down, gathering her dress into her arms as she pulled the gown on. Rumplestiltskin was behind her instantly, lacing her up with nimble fingers. 

As soon as she was dressed, she hurried to wash her face with the water the maids had left while Rumplestiltskin got himself dressed. 

“How soon do we have to tell people I’m pregnant?” Belle asked quietly as she dried her face.

“How soon do you want to tell them? Our first goal is to keep Rose silent,” Rumplestiltskin said with a chuckle.

“Can we wait until after the wedding?” Belle asked hesitantly. She turned to Rumplestiltskin, who only nodded.

“If that’s what you want, then yes, we can,” he told her seriously. Belle sighed in relief.

“You might be showing a bit by then,” Rumplestiltskin added. Belle shook her head.

“Last time I didn’t start showing until I was about six months,” Belle said knowingly, remembering her last pregnancy. Her hand subconsciously slid over her stomach. This time, there would be food. For both her and Bae. 

“But you didn’t eat properly then, did you?” Rumplestiltskin asked quietly as he moved closer to Belle, who was still deep in thought. Belle shook her head absently.

“I ate. Bae insisted on it. He went as far as to refuse to finish his food so I would eat,” Belle said, the ghost of a rueful smile gracing her lips. 

“If you’re eating healthy, you may start showing sooner,” Rumplestiltskin warned. Belle smiled, turning around to face him.

“I guess I’ll have to watch what I wear then,” Belle said. The absurdity of the statement nearly sent her into giggles. It was astounding to have more than one outfit to wear. The thought of being able to wear only certain clothes when she pleased was almost too new for her.

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her eyes landing on her flat stomach.

“I’m going to be a papa again,” he said, his voice full of pure joy. He slid onto his knees, wincing slightly at his bad leg hitting the ground, and pressed a light kiss to her stomach before pulling her close, his arms around her waist and his head against her stomach, as if he were trying to hear the baby who was still too small to be observed in any way except by magic.

Belle felt herself stiffen slightly at the contact but didn’t pull back. She stared down at the man, slightly confused. She hadn’t expected the reaction from him. She had heard things around town. Most men were displeased to have a wife with child, especially if the child was to be a girl. 

Yet here he was, acting as if she had just given him the most precious of all gifts.

In a way, she realized, she had.

 

Three and a half months later:

Rumplestiltskin:

Belle, despite what she had previously believed, was starting to show. Every morning and night, he kissed her growing stomach, feeling himself overjoyed at the thought of his child being born in six months. 

Quite a few people had been visiting the castle in the last few months. Belle had attracted a lot of attention and many people wanted to see if Rumplestiltskin had actually found himself a fiancée. 

The only people besides his close family who knew of the pregnancy, so far, were Jefferson and Red. Red was Belle’s person to bring her any herbs she needed, and she visited quite frequently given the distance. Snow and Regina’s families had not had the opportunity to come back since leaving. However, in a matter of a week or so, everyone would be arriving for the wedding. Two weeks and he and Belle would be officially wedded. Two weeks and he could reveal her pregnancy. 

He couldn’t wait. 

Bae had been sulking for the last month or so especially, as had Grace. The children missed Emma and Henry immensely. It was almost comical to see, had Rumplestiltskin not realized just how much they were missed. 

Rose passed every day devouring books, books that she learned to read before Bae had even finished learning his alphabet. The girl’s sheer ability to absorb information was astounding. It had taken much convincing, but the girl did not use any magic anymore.

At least, she didn’t when Belle or Rumplestiltskin were around. The girl was too smart for her own good. 

However, that day, he couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that gripped him. It had been weeks since he had last lashed out in anger. He knew better than to push it. But still, he couldn’t have felt…happier. 

He left Belle in bed that morning after kissing her stomach, slipping out into the courtyard. The dew was still glistening on leaves. A bird was even singing. 

He knew he should keep his distance from Belle for awhile. If he were to lash out and hurt her or the baby, he would never forgive himself. He knew she would understand. This wasn’t the first time he had distanced himself for this reason. He just wished he could get rid of this curse.

His thought returned to the Dark One, unbidden. Of course they did. Any time he neared a few weeks without an anger attack, he thought back to what that beggar had told him. Could the Dark One really get rid of his curse? 

Bae had been doing good. The boy had had only three anger attacks since arriving at the castle. Belle was incredibly worried about it, but Rumplestiltskin was impressed. The boy was so much better at controlling his anger than Rumplestiltskin had ever been. 

Rumplestiltskin sighed and returned to the room. Belle was up. In fact, she was dressed. He walked up behind her and hugged her gently, as he normally did in the morning after he had kissed her stomach. 

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong.

 

Belle:

She woke up cold. It had been awhile since she had woken up cold; she almost didn’t realize what was wrong. Her eyes snapped open to see that she was no longer in her room. 

She was in a dungeon. 

She was up instantly. The door was locked. The window was just out of her reach. She felt terror rising up inside of her. Where was she? Was Bae and Rose somewhere here too?

The door opened quickly and two guards entered, seizing Belle before she could even realize they had opened the door. They drug her into a dark room and threw her to the ground. Belle struggled to her feet. 

A light flickered on in the room. A candle. Then another. 

“So you’re the girl that ruined all of my plans,” a voice asked darkly as a third candle lit itself. The candle illuminated a face. Belle had to swallow her scream. The woman stood and made her way to Belle, more candles lighting themselves.

 

“Where am I? Who are you?” Belle asked, trying to stop her voice from shaking. The woman laughed.

“I am Maleficent,” she said. The blood drained from Belle’s face. Maleficent. The woman who had cursed both Philip and Aurora in an attempt to keep them apart. The woman she had made her enemy by helping them. 

Maleficent’s eyes scanned over her briefly. They enlarged as they hit her stomach. Her nightgown did little to hide her stomach. Although it was still small, there was a noticeable baby bulge in the front. 

“Well….hadn’t anticipated that,” Maleficent murmured.

“Rum’ll find me,” Belle said, the words coming out more confident than she felt. Maleficent laughed.

“He would…if he knew you were missing,” she said. Belle’s head tilted before the color drained from her face. 

“Anna…” Belle whispered in horror. Maleficent nodded.

“Unfortunately, I can’t create a baby inside of her. We assumed you’d just gained a bit of healthy weight. Oh well. She’ll sleep with him soon enough. It’ll be like you are still there. Except you won’t be,” Maleficent said cruelly. The horror of the situation seemed to sink in.

“What are you going to do to me?” Belle asked. Maleficent’s smile stretched across her face.

“Unfortunately, the Dark One wants you. Now that I see you’re with child, it makes sense. However, he allowed me a week to do with you what I want. And it’ll be one glorious week for me,” Maleficent said, her teeth gleaming. She waved her hand and Belle was instantly seized once more by the guards.

“I’m going to make you wish you were never born. Beat her. Don’t let her die, and don’t cause a miscarriage. The Dark One would be especially unhappy if that were to happen,” Maleficent said with the careless wave of her hand. 

Just like that, Belle was carted back to her prison cell.

 

Anna:

 

She was immediately irritated. She had been expecting it to be easy, to slip into this role. She had not been expecting for everyone to be suspicious. From the moment Rumplestiltskin had wrapped his arms around her, he had tensed. It irked her to no means!

She was glad that Maleficent had told her father the girl had a damaged ankle. Otherwise, she would have been caught instantly. But the children seemed to sense the switch. Especially the dratted girl. Maleficent had reassured her that, even with magic, the girl would not know how to tell if she was magicked. 

She was seriously doubting the witch’s words now.

Still, she avoided the children and they avoided her. She pretended to be hurt they were avoiding her, and Rumplestiltskin seemed to play right along. He kept his distance from her as well. Did he suspect something? It frustrated her to no ends! When they had been visiting, everyone was always with Belle.

Belle was always the center of attention, when Anna had been there. Now, it was as if Belle was merely a tapestry on the wall. Anna hated that. 

She got her biggest surprise that night. She knew she had two weeks until the wedding. Once he married her, she would be there and he couldn’t do anything about it. Until then, she had to maintain the charade. 

She had a week until the guests began arriving. Regina would sense something, Anna knew. Why was it so hard to pretend to be her half sister? Anna and Belle looked alike. Why were they so different? 

Still, that night she had entered the room only for the elusive Rumplestiltskin to wrap his arms around her waist as he had done that morning. He helped unlace the dress and laid her into bed, as if she were some delicate flower. It made Anna sick.

But when his lips connected with her stomach, Anna felt dread pool inside of her. 

That wench was pregnant. 

That would make things more complicated, she knew. 

She swore that if Maleficent let Belle live, Anna’d kill her herself. 

 

Three Days Later:

Belle:

She could barely move. True to her word, Maleficent had prevented any miscarriage from happening. However, Belle felt like she was dying. The pain was unbearable. 

Her hand rested lightly on top of her stomach, which grumbled in protest. She had gotten nothing to eat in the three days she had been there. Before, that would not have been a problem. Now? After eating two to three meals a day for the last three months, it felt like an eternity to go without food. She prayed it wasn’t hurting her baby, but she knew it was.

She was terrified to think of what awaited her in the next few days. In four days she would be transferred to the Dark One’s home. Who knew what he would do to her? 

Maleficent had only been down to see her once since she had been imprisoned. Once, to gloat about how Anna was doing in her place. About how no one noticed the difference.

Belle knew that was a lie. Her children would know. They would know in a heartbeat. But she kept that knowledge close to her heart. 

Her only comfort was the prisoner in the cell next to hers. He talked to her in between coughs most nights. They talked of anything and everything. His name was Gepetto. 

That night, there was a sound other than Gepetto’s in the cell next to hers.

“Papa?” a boy’s voice asked. Belles struggled to sit up.

“Pinocchio, what are you doing here?” Gepetto asked in between coughs.

“I brought you some bread,” the boy said happily. 

“Is that your son?” Belle asked quietly. She was met with silence. After a moment, a boy appeared in her small window. His eyes widened at the sight of her. She tried to stand but couldn’t.

“Who are you?” the boy asked, eyes wide.

“My name’s Belle. I…can you get a message to someone?” she begged. The boy’s eyes were wide.

“Pinocchio, she’s a friend,” Gepetto called out quietly. The boy hesitantly nodded.

“I need you to go to King Philip and Queen Aurora. They’re the closest royalty, right?” she asked. The boy nodded, eyes still wide.

“Tell them that Belle is trapped by Maleficent. Tell them my sister is pretending to be me,” Belle said. She thought of adding more but didn’t want to poor boy to confuse details.

“Will they get Papa out too?” the boy asked. Belle nodded without hesitation.

“They will. They would never leave him here. I swear,” Belle said. The boy nodded. He left her window to go back to his father’s. Belle nearly sighed relief, allowing herself to fall back to the ground. Help would come.

Three Days Later:

Mulan:

It was time to leave for the wedding. They were already a day late in leaving; they should already be at the castle. They had planned on being at the castle two days before anyone else. She sighed. Everything was ready to leave.

Philip had just mounted his horse when an underfed boy with wild red hair stumbled up to them. 

“Are you King Philip?” he asked weakly. Mulan was off her horse instantly. The boy swayed slightly. Mulan grabbed him gently, helping him stand. Aurora, who had just exited the castle, was over to them instantly. 

“What’s wrong?” Aurora asked worriedly.

“We need to get him some food. The poor lad looks like he’s about to pass out,” Philip said, getting off his horse as well. The boy shook his head quickly.

“No! You have to help my Papa!” the boy cried. Philip exchanged worried looks with Aurora and Mulan. They had gotten requests like this before. Most were simple to fix, but others impossible. The boy must’ve travelled far. And they really had to be leaving.

But what was more important? A boy’s father, or their friend’s wedding preparations? There was no real question there. 

“Where’s your papa?” Philip asked the boy kindly. 

“Belle said you’d help him!” the boy said. Philip’s eyes widened.

“Belle?” Mulan asked, wondering if maybe she’s misunderstood the boy. He nodded.

“He said Maleficent trapped her. And that her sister is pretending to be her. She promised you would save my papa too!” the boy cried. Philip turned to one of the servants.

“Unload our clothes from the carriage. Take the boy inside and care for him. I’m going to rescue his father and Belle,” Philip said.

“We are going to rescue them,” Mulan said. Aurora nodded.

“I’m coming too,” she declared. The two looked worriedly at each other.

“Aurora…you need to go to warn Rumplestiltskin,” Mulan said. Aurora shook her head stubbornly.

“Please. Aurora…what if he marries Anna? He won’t be able to get out of it,” Philip pleaded. 

“You’re forgetting something important. We can’t get near Maleficent’s castle. She wouldn’t let us near it,” Aurora said. Philip wilted at the words.

“Then what should we do?” Mulan snapped. Her heart went out to Belle. Who knew how long the girl had been imprisoned?

“We need Regina. She’s got dark magic in her. If anyone can help us, she can.”

 

Regina:

“We’re late. I hate being late,” Regina said irritably, waiting as Henry gathered the last of his things. They were getting into the carriage when Regina noticed someone riding at them with alarming speed. Two someones. 

“Regina, wait!” Aurora’s voice called desperately. Regina hurried out of the carriage. Of all people, Aurora would have been the last person she was expecting. Her and Mulan, as it was, were both there. 

“Is something wrong? I thought you were to already be there?” Regina questioned. Aurora shook her head, motioning for Regina to move away from the carriage. Henry’s wide eyes followed his mother’s every movement. 

“Belle’s been kidnapped by Maleficent,” Aurora said the moment Regina was out of earshot of the carriage. Regina’s face drained of color.

“Bitch,” Regina hissed. Mulan nodded solemnly.

“We need your help. Anna is posing as Belle. We can’t get to the castle on our own. We need you to go with Mulan and Philip to rescue her!” Aurora explained, her words jumbling together. 

“What are you planning on doing?” Regina asked, surprised. She expected Aurora would be insistent on going. Aurora shook her head.

“I’ll go with your family to the Dark Castle. I can discreetly warn everyone and, if something goes wrong, prolong the wedding as long as possible,” Aurora explained.

“This calls for discretion above all things. If she realizes what we are trying to do, we’ll never get close to her,” Regina murmured. She nodded to Aurora.

“Go. We’re late already. I’ll take your horse and return,” Regina told her. Aurora nodded gratefully and climbed into the carriage. A few minutes later, the carriage took off. Regina turned back to Mulan, a devious smile twisting her lips.

“I sense I’m going to get to have fun with this plan.”

Emma:

The moment she arrived at the castle, she threw herself at Bae. It had been much too long of a time. When he didn’t hug her back instantly, Emma felt herself stiffen. What if he had decided he didn’t like her while she had been gone? She pulled away quickly, but Bae seemed bothered. And not about her.

“What’s wrong?” Emma asked quietly. Bae shook his head.

“Watch her,” he whispered, his lips barely moving, as he nodded towards Belle. Emma tried to watch the girl without causing attention to herself. She moved just like she always did.

“What’s wrong?” Emma asked once more. Bae shook his head.

“That’s not Belle,” Bae said. Emma’s eyebrows furrowed together. She acted just like Belle. Rose came running up to Emma, hugging her tightly.

“Someone took Mama,” Rose murmured in her ear. Emma resisted the urge to widen her eyes.

“Are you sure?” she hissed. The children nodded solemnly.

“What are we going to do?” she asked worriedly. Bae shook his head.

“I don’t know. Papa won’t even go near her, because he’s been too long without getting angry. So I don’t know if he’s noticed. We wanted to wait until you and Henry got here so we could have more people,” Bae explained quietly.

“What are you three whispering about? Where’s Grace?” Snow asked with a smile. Bae shrugged.

“We were going to make a surprise party for Grace, but she found us out earlier. We were just telling Emma our new plans,” Bae said, a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Let’s go play in the garden!” Bae said, his voice slightly louder than it had to be. Snow glanced up quickly, worried, but Belle did nothing. Bae was right. Belle would not have allowed them to go there alone. The children ran off quickly. Once they were farther away, into the garden, they stopped.

“Grace’ll be here soon,” Bae whispered. They waited and, seven minutes later, Grace came running up.

“We need a name for our operation,” Bae said theatrically. Grace shook her head.

“Regina’s family just arrived! I’m gonna go get Henry. I didn’t see Regina though,” Grace told them before disappearing once more.

“Why wouldn’t Regina come?” Emma asked, confused.

“Maybe she knows Mama’s been taken?” Bae suggested. Rose nodded.

“I think she does,” Rose said. Grace and Henry appeared soon, both panting.

“Belle’s been kidnapped!” Henry said quickly, eyes wide. Bae nodded.

“We know. We have to figure out what to do!” Bae said. Henry’s eyes gleamed.

“I thought about this the entire way. Mom stayed behind to help get her free. We have to get Rumplestiltskin to see that Anna is pretending to be Belle. I call it Operation Cobra,” Henry said with a smile. Emma and Bae looked each other.

“I like it,” Bae admitted. Emma nodded as well.

“Why cobra?” Rose asked, tilting her head.

“Because no one will suspect anything!” Henry said triumphantly. Rose nodded quickly, eyes wide. 

“Stage One: we have to get him suspicious,” Henry said.

 

They snuck into the parlor room, staying near the back as the adults talked.

“What do you mean, Regina’s going to be late?” Rumplestiltskin asked, obviously irritated. Aurora shrugged.

“Philip and Mulan had to stop a small uprising. They needed magical help. I offered to come ahead. Is there any way to postpone the wedding?” Aurora asked. 

“No,” Belle said quickly. All eyes swiveled to her.

“I mean, I’ve waited so long for this,” Belle amended. Aurora’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“But Mulan, Philip, and Regina wouldn’t be here,” Aurora stated. Belle shook her head.

“I wish they were here, but we’ve already got everything planned. Plus, this gets rid of our dilemma of not having enough men,” Belle said lightly. 

Snow’s eyes narrowed at the girl. Emma silently cheered her mother. Of course she would notice. 

“When’s Red supposed to arrive?” Snow asked, turning to Jefferson. The man seemed slightly flustered.

“Her and her grandmother are supposed to arrive today,” Jefferson said. 

“Red’s coming today?” Rose asked excitedly, ruining their cover. The adults all turned quickly.

“What are you doing in here?” Daniel asked the children. 

“Gathering intel,” Henry said smugly. The look Daniel shot him was one that clearly meant to shut up. Daniel turned to Rumplestiltskin but offered no explanation. Rose jumped onto Rumplestiltskin’s lap. 

“I miss Red,” Rose said. She glanced over at Emma and Bae, and Emma swore she saw the gleam of amusement in the girl’s eyes. 

“Maybe she can make me another doll like the first she made me?” Rose asked. She turned to Belle.

“Do you think Red will make me a second doll?” Rose asked, eyes wide and trusting. Emma turned to Bae, who’s own grin was maniacal. 

“Didn’t you..?” she drifted off as Bae nodded. 

“I don’t know. You already have dolls,” Belle said lightly. Rumplestiltskin’s face was full of confusion. He knew Bae had made Rose her first and only doll before arriving at the palace. 

Stage One, check. Now, if only they could make him see the truth on his own soon.

 

Regina:

“Flimsy locks, m’dear,” Regina called as she strolled into Maleficent’s castle. Mulan trod behind her like an obedient puppy. Philip was using the distraction to sneak into the dungeon. 

Maleficent was sitting in front of the fire, stroking a unicorn’s head.

“Regina. It’s been awhile. And here I’d thought you’d given up and gone to the good side,” Maleficent said with a smirk. Regina sat herself down in the chair across from Maleficent, revealing Mulan for the first time. Maleficent shot up instantly.

“What the HELL is she doing here?!” Maleficent hissed. Regina waved carelessly.

“Too easy to control. Money talks. And it didn’t take much to convince her I was more of an investment than that sleeping brat of yours,” Regina said lightly. Maleficent didn’t relax completely. 

“Why are you here?” Maleficent asked, pleasantries gone. Regina allowed her lips to twist into a smirk. Oh, how she missed this. Not the darkness, surely, but just the whole…atmosphere of it. It felt so…right. If she hadn’t promised Daniel to stay from the darkness, she would have enjoyed it immensely. 

“See, I’ve had a bit of a…conflict…with Rumple. Bastard thinks he controls me. As if,” Regina scoffed. Maleficent’s smirk appeared once more, but it was less pronounced than earlier.

“Seems he’s pissed off a lot of people recently,” Maleficent murmured as she sipped a cup of tea. Regina had to keep herself from perking up at the information.

“Well, he’s pissed off no one as much as he has me. Imagine my irritation when I realize my plan to kidnap his fiancée has already been done? It’s downright embarrassing,” Regina said with the flick of her wrist. Maleficent lowered her tea cup.

“Yes. I thought you had more original thoughts,” Maleficent taunted. Regina leaned forward.

“Oh, when all of my plans are finished, no one will ever say I wasn’t original. Where’s the brat?” Regina asked darkly. Maleficent chuckled.

“As lovely as your plans sound, I’m afraid I cannot help you. I sold her off already,” Maleficent stated casually.

“Sold her? Already? My, you move fast. To whom?” Regina asked, glancing at Mulan. The woman had briefly touched her sword. It sent off a miniscule pulse of magic, alerting Philip of what had happened. 

“The Dark One. Seems he had taken an interest in needing a…caretaker, if you will? And I assume he planned on selling the baby,” Maleficent added casually. Regina nearly choked.

“She’s pregnant?” Regina asked before she could stop herself. She added a laugh at the end for good measures.

“Damn. He really can’t keep it in his pants,” Regina commented crudely. Maleficent nodded in agreement. Regina stood abruptly.

“Well, if you can’t help me, I guess I’ll have to find a different way to exact revenge,” Regina mused.

“I’d go after the little girl. She seems to be his new favorite,” Maleficent suggested. Regina allowed herself a dark laugh.

“I always did want a little girl. Thanks for the advice, old friend,” Regina said before sauntering out. Mulan followed her briskly.

They met up with Philip, who was helping an elderly man.

“She wasn’t there,” Philip said, frustrated. 

“That’s because she was sold to the Dark One,” Mulan said murderously. 

“We need to get back to Rumple’s castle immediately. Apparently Rumple couldn’t wait for the wedding. Belle’s pregnant,” Regina said grimly. 

They began the long trek back. Regina wasn’t able to use magic in fear of damaging the old man more than what he already was, and Philip would not allow it. 

They arrived at the castle and reunited father with son. 

“We should plan on our way there. After all, it’s not going to be easy, taking something from the Dark One,” Regina said.

“The Dark One?” a raspy voice asked sharply. The three of them turned to see a peasant man huddled by a doorway. 

“You’re the beggar that helped Belle!” Mulan said in recognition. He nodded.

“I had a…run-in, with the Dark One, years ago. I used to be rich. Now look at me,” he said, laughing pathetically at himself.

“Do you know how we can defeat him? Or at least take Belle back from him?” Regina asked doubtfully. The man grinned, revealing several rotted teeth.

“Indeed I do. But it’s going to cost ya.”

 

Two Days Before the Wedding: 

Rumplestiltskin:

He was desperate. He still hadn’t released the curse’s anger, and he could feel the buildup. His wedding was in two days. If he didn’t release it soon, what if he snapped on Belle? Or the children?

He had stopped coming back to their room a few nights ago, opting to sleep elsewhere. He stayed away from them as much as he could. Why was this happening now, of all times? Nothing was setting him off. On top of it, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong with Belle. 

She shied away from him when he kissed her stomach. She’d never done that. Was she becoming more self-conscious? He didn’t know. But the children were distancing themselves from her as well, he noticed. It worried him, but not as much as his curse did. 

He was pacing in the empty parlor room when the doors burst open, revealing Mulan, Philip, and Regina. 

“Cutting it close, aren’t you?” Rumplestiltskin muttered, irritated at the distraction. 

“You might want to sit down,” Mulan advised. Rumplestiltskin felt the anger bubbling inside of him. 

“What happened?” he bit out angrily. The three exchanged glances.

“Belle’s been kidnapped and sold to the Dark One. Anna is impersonating her,” Regina said bluntly. 

And all Rumplestiltskin could see was red.

 

Bae:

They were scheming in the garden when the heard the first scream. The children’s eyes all met in horror.

“Papa,” Bae breathed. 

“Regina just told him the truth,” Rose said hollowly. 

“We have to stop him! He’s going to kill someone!” Grace said, jumping to her feet quickly. The children quickly pounded down the hallway, eyes wide in horror. They made it to Rumplestiltskin’s room in time to see him throwing a now-obvious Anna against a wall. Both Regina and Mulan were trying to restrain him, but Bae could see the pure fury in his father’s eyes. 

When Rumplestiltskin’s eyes fell on them, they focused on Rose. He stomped towards them, causing Philip to jump in as well in restraining him. 

“Take me to her. Take me to Belle. Now!” he shouted at the girl. Rose’s eyes widened.

“B-but you said not to use magic,” she said, her lip quivering in fear. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrowed as he pulled away from the restraints and grabbed the girl.

“Do it! Take me to the Dark One!” he ordered. Bae immediately lunged at Rose, gripping her just as purple smoke enveloped them. 

When the smoke cleared, they were standing in the middle of the woods. A knife was lying in the dirt, half covered. Rumplestiltskin grabbed the knife, clutching it as he spun to examine the clearing. When he saw nothing, he turned his fury on Rose.

“I told you to take me to the Dark One!” he roared, lunging at her. Bae pulled Rose out of his path, feeling his own fury begin to build. 

“And she did,” a deep voice said from behind them. Rumplestiltskin and Bae both spun around. A tall man wearing a cape and hood was leering at them. Rumplestiltskin held the knife up quickly, eyes narrowing.

“Where is she?” Rumplestiltskin asked. The Dark One laughed.

“Your fiancée? Poor thing, so weak. I immediately had her cleaning my castle but there was an accident. The girl fell from the top of a ladder. She died,” the Dark One said with a laugh. Bae turned to Rose, hoping the girl would say he was lying. She was silent. 

No.

One glance at Rose fueled even more anger inside of Rumplestiltskin. He lunged at the Dark One, who made no attempt to move as the knife pierced his heart. The two fell to the ground. 

As the hood fell back, Bae gasped. It was the beggar. The shock of seeing him caused Rumplestiltskin to snap from his stupor. 

“W-what’s going on?” he asked shakily. The Dark One laughed.

“You just freed me. Have fun with him. The Dark One’s impossible to control,” the beggar wheezed. Rose gasped, running up to him. The beggar turned to her and smiled a true smile.

“You’re my….” She drifted off, staring wide-eyed at him. He nodded before his eyes closed. Rose turned to Bae, eyes wide.

“He was my father,” she whispered, half horrified and half in awe. Bae stared at the girl, equally horrified.

“That’s why you have such powerful magic,” he said hoarsely. The girl nodded. Rumplestiltskin stared at the man and gasped, causing the children’s attentions to focus on him. His hands were turning a goldish green color as scales seemed move up his arm, covering his skin. He struggled to get away from the man, dagger still in hand. He glanced down at it to see the letters of his name across the blade in a flourish. 

He turned to his terrified children, who huddled together with wide eyes.

“I will protect you. I couldn’t protect her, but I will protect you,” he swore.

 

They were magicked back to the castle, where everyone was anxiously waiting. When they saw Rumplestiltskin, a gasp of unison seemed to sweep the room. 

“Did you rescue Belle?” Regina asked, but even she could tell it was a stupid question.

“Belle is dead. And I’m the new Dark One,” he said, his words malicious. 

 

Belle:

The Dark Castle was cold. The Dark One had left her in the dungeon with a thin blanket and a small cabinet of food. There was a tiny well in the corner as well. Enough to show he was going to be gone a long time. 

Belle’s hands wrapped around her stomach, praying she could offer some extra warmth for the baby. Praying someone would rescue her. Praying she would be free.

She’d only been at the Dark Castle for a week, but she could feel something in her bones telling her she would remain there for a long time.


	10. Chapter 10

Belle:

Time passed. She couldn’t tell what day was what. Each day melted into the next. She ate, she slept, she drank. And each day she watched as her belly expanded, as the child within grew. 

Each day she worried if she would ever get out.

The food slowly diminished, something Belle didn’t want to think of. Some days, she beat against the door until her fists bled. Other days, she cried herself to sleep huddled against the door, which was the warmest part of the cell. 

Snow fell. Snow melted. But it was still oh so dreadfully cold. 

At one point, she’d thought of throwing herself down the well, just to end the misery of being trapped inside one room for God knows how many days. But as she stood at the end, the baby inside of her kicked. 

No. She couldn’t do that. She would find a way to save her baby and get back to her two other babies. 

 

One day she had resorted to beating against the wall underneath the window, the window placed strategically too high for her to reach no matter how hard she tried. Her food was almost out. Her baby was so big inside of her. 

Her bloody fists were about to give up when she felt a stone budge. She held her breath instantly before hitting the stone again. A small slip of paper fell from where it had been wedged in between the stones. It fluttered down gently to land at her feet.

“I knew you’d find a way out eventually. You may want to look into some news before you head home.” – Z.

The message caused a scream to rip itself from her throat. She pounded harder, ignoring the blood until the block had fallen out of the wall. Into the real world.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

While most of the guests hurried home the moment they realized there was to be no wedding, a few stayed. Those closest to Belle and him. Those who were mourning for not one lost friend, but two. Ever since he’d killed the late Dark One, he’d been…different. Everyone could sense it. 

His children stayed away from him, Bae by choice and Rose by orders. He had overheard them, one day, talking in the garden. 

“But Bae, why can’t I hug my Papa anymore?” Rose asked. He could hear the tears in her voice.

“That man’s not our Papa. Our Papa died, just like Mama did,” the boy said. His words sounded apathetic, as if his own life had been ripped from him. 

“You lost your papa, but I got my Papa,” Rose argued. There was the sound of a slap, something that made Rumplestiltskin’s blood boil.

“No. Mama wouldn’t want you near him,” Bae said stiffly.

 

Since that day, they had stayed away from him. 

It burned him more than anything that he had lost not only his fiancée, who he had finally opened up to, but also his children. It made him easily irritable. 

His kingdom was suffering. People had begun to flee the moment they had learnt of their king becoming ‘possessed’ by the Dark One. 

He was sitting in his throne room, glaring at nothing in particular, one day months later, when Rose scurried into the room. Her eyes lit up when they saw him, but she hesitated. Glanced around suspiciously before running up to him and wrapping her arms around him. It was the first human contact he had had in what felt like forever. He hugged the girl back tightly. 

When she pulled back, there was a sad smile on her face.

“Papa, I don’t want to stay here,” she said. Rumplestiltskin tilted his head.

“Where do you want to go?” he asked her curiously. 

“The Dark Castle! I want to go there. So we can be a family and no one will give me mean looks,” Rose said excitedly. Rumplestiltskin did not match the girl’s enthusiasm.

“Who’s giving you mean looks?” he asked darkly. Rose’s eyes widened.

“No! I just….I want to be happy. I want Mama back,” she whispered. The last words were coupled with a tear that fell. 

“Go get your things. We’ll leave tonight,” Rumplestiltskin said. He stood as the girl ran off excitedly.

Stood and found Jefferson.

“Jefferson,” he said, appearing behind the man. Jefferson suppressed a scream before spinning around. 

“Rumple! Gods, don’t do that to me,” he said, sighing in relief. But even Rumplestiltskin could tell he wasn’t fully relieved. When they mourned Belle, they also mourned him. As if he were gone too.

But he wasn’t. He was still there. So was the Dark One, two separate entities, wrapped up in the same body. Both there, both in control. 

“I’m leaving,” Rumplestiltskin announced. 

“Leaving? For where?” Jefferson asked dumbly. Rumplestiltskin shook his head. 

“The Dark Castle. I’m taking my children with me. The kingdom is yours,” Rumplestiltskin said. Jefferson stared at his long time friend.

“Is Bae okay with it?” he asked quietly. Rumplestiltskin shrugged.

“Probably not. But Rose is. Rose asked for it. So we’re going. Tonight,” Rumplestiltskin stated. Jefferson tentatively pulled the slight man into his embrace.

“Can we visit?” he asked. Rumplestiltskin tried to shrug casually.

“If you want,” he said quietly. 

 

Bae didn’t take the news well. But when Rose refused to be swayed, he agreed to go.

“I’m only going for her. If you hurt her, I’ll kill you,” Bae swore angrily, glaring into Rumplestiltskin’s eyes. The Dark One inside of him sneered right back. Rumplestiltskin himself could only cringe. 

 

And with the flick of his hand, his small family was standing in the Dark Castle. 

Completely alone.

In the place Belle and his child had died.

 

Belle:

Her shoulders were bruised from crawling out of the hole. Her stomach almost didn’t fit, it was so large. She had thrown what little food remained and the blanket out first and crawled out after. Freedom! She was free!

The note worried her. What news? What had the Dark One done while she was imprisoned? 

She didn’t want to know. She just knew she had to get back to her children as soon as possible.

So, hands still bleeding and meager food tied up in a threadbare blanket, and she was off.

 

She didn’t even make it to a town. 

 

She was walking through the woods – no, stumbling – and stumbled onto a small group of people. A small group of people who looked extremely dangerous. 

“We have to find some other way! If someone doesn’t shoot at the tournament, we don’t eat!” a man argued loudly with a very small man – more like a child. A girl dressed in finery was sobbing over a body.

Which was the moment someone spotted her.

Before she could react, she was drug over to the center of their group.

“Who are you?” the big man asked maliciously. 

“Were you sent here to spy on us?” the smaller boy asked, his voice equally vicious. The finely dressed lady glared at the two men.

“Calm down. The poor girl’s injured. What’s your name?” she asked, turning to Belle with a wide smile on her face. Belle’s arms immediately shielded her stomach, drawing all attention there. 

“B-belle. Please. Just tell me how to get to Rumplestiltskin’s kingdom,” Belle begged. The group exchanged apprehensive looks.

“I don’t know where you came from, or what rock you’ve been hiding under for the last two months, but you don’t want to go there. The Dark One took over Rumplestiltskin’s body. It’s a kingdom of darkness,” the big man said. Belle’s eyes widened in fear.

“My children are there,” she whispered. The lady shook her head.

“Now’s not the best time to try to find them. Especially not in your state. The Dark One’s been known to prey on unborn children,” the lady warned. 

“Can you shoot?” the little boy asked, interrupting the conversation. Belle turned to him, confused. 

“Shoot what?” she asked, tilting her head. The boy thrust a bow and arrow at her. 

“Try. Try to hit that tree over there,” the boy urged, pointing at a tree a ways from them. Belle stared at him for a moment before she struggled to remember how a bow worked. She’d watched her father shoot as a child, but had never shot herself. Still, she shakily drew the string back and released the arrow.

It sailed true through the air and nailed the tree.

Not only did it nail the tree, but it went through an apple that had been bobbling in the wind.

That had been an accident.

It had a great reaction though. The people all stared at it. Belle lowered the bow and tried to hand it back to the boy but he shook his head.

“I’ve never shot a bow before. That was luck,” she tried, but he handed her another arrow. 

“Shoot that log. The one way out there. Hit the green area on it,” the boy urged. Belle had to squint to see it, but she did. And once she did, she released the arrow and once more it was a perfect hit. 

“Let’s make a deal,” the large man said quickly, staring down at her. Belle stared at the bow, confused. How did she hit those?

“What?” Belle asked, her eyes flickering up to him from her bloodied hands.

“We need help. And you need help. We can help each other,” the man suggested. Belle still must’ve looked confused. 

“My name’s Little John. This is Princess Abigail, Hansel, Gretel, Lancelot, and Gus. There’s one more of us, Fredrick, but he’ll be back soon. Abigail’s sister, Robin, was our archer. She won us money in tournaments and did most of the work for us. We’ve been liberating the land from greedy lords on our way to return Princess Abigail to her rightful place as the heir to King Midas’s throne. But Robin was killed. And none of us can shoot or resemble her in the slightest,” the big man explained. Belle stared at them.

“And I do?” she asked incredulously. The nodded. Little John rolled the dead body over to reveal a girl about Belle’s size with her hair 

“Besides being pregnant,” Little John amended.

“And having a limp,” the man identified as Lancelot said. 

“But I….and you’ll help me get my children?” Belle finally said. They nodded solemnly.

“It may take awhile. We’re precarious for time right now, but we will get your children away from that kingdom,” Abigail swore. Belle forced herself to smile.

“Then I’m in. What do I need to do?” she asked. Gus stared at her for a moment.

“Spin for me,” he ordered. Belle, confused, did as he said, only to get a chorus of nos shouted at her.

“No! Spin slowly. We need to see what all about you is different from Robin,” Abigail tried explaining. Belle, chagrined, did as she was asked. When she stopped spinning, Abigail was holding onto her arm.

“Gretel and I will help you change into Robin’s clothes. The men can dig her a grave. When we reach father’s kingdom, I’ll have him send for her body,” Abigail explained. The men scurried away quickly. 

“Why was she wearing pants?” Belle asked as they stripped her down. They helped her into the clothes.

“She pretended she was a boy. We do more than just win tournaments and liberate towns, I’m afraid. We’ve taken a few hit jobs as well. People trust men more,” Abigail explained grimly. The pants fit snugly, and she found she preferred them to the dress she had been wearing. The shirt was a bit tighter over her stomach, but once the cape was added, it was hard to tell she was pregnant. 

Gretel tied Belle’s dirty curls back with a piece of ribbon before tying the headband Robin had been wearing onto Belle’s forehead. The younger girl quickly turned to start dressing the dead body. 

Abigail smiled at her.

“Belle, you truly could be my sister,” she said softly. Belle thought back to her own sister and held back the scowl.

“Please, I have a question for you. Rumplestiltskin. Did he marry?” Belle begged. Abigail shook her head.

“No…I’d heard rumors of a fiancée but nothing more. We would have heard if there had been a wedding,” Abigail said. Belle nearly sighed in relief. Abigail smiled at her and flipped the hood over Belle’s face. She placed a quiver full of arrows on her back and slung the bow there as well.

“Welcome to the Merry Men, Robin Hood,” Abigail said.

 

Bae:

The castle was miserable. He hated it. He wanted to be back home. His original home, before his father had entered their lives and ruined it. He wanted his mother back. 

Being in the place she had spent her last moments didn’t help. He wanted more than anything for her to be back. It had been so long since he had seen her. He shared his bed with Rose every night and it still wasn’t enough. The bed still felt empty. 

Rose loved the castle. The little girl had gotten it in her head that she wanted to clean the entire castle, and she had started on it. Rumplestiltskin was rarely around. He had started doing many deals.

The only information of the outside world he got was through Rose’s magic. She would surprise him by giving him random tidbits of information.

“Regina’s mother is back. She’s really mad Regina married Daniel.”

“Maleficent sent a wraith after Aurora and it got Philip. Aurora and Mulan are searching for his soul.”

“Cora killed Daniel after tricking the information out of Snow. Snow’s in hiding and Regina is trying to kill her.”

“Stop!” Bae shouted at her one day. The information hurt his head. He didn’t want to know of how the world outside was falling to pieces. He didn’t want to know the truth. 

Rose was hurt from his shouting. The girl had thought her brother wanted to know the truth. But he didn’t. Oh he didn’t.

“Children, fighting isn’t the answer,” a high pitched voice lectured, followed by a giggle. Bae stiffened. Rumplestiltskin. Over the last two months, he had watched the man he had learnt was his father change to become some crazed imp. Rose didn’t mind; in fact, the girl welcomed it, sometimes mimicking his behavior. 

He hated it. He hated Rumplestiltskin for corrupting his innocent younger sister, who had just turned four. 

“Papa!” Rose exclaimed, throwing herself at the man. He hugged her back as well. When she pulled back, her eyes were sparkling.

“Papa, have you met the Merry Men? They’re trying to save the land! And…they’re led by a woman!” Rose whispered cheerfully. From the stiffening in Rumplestiltskin’s spin, he had not known that.

“And where, pray tell, did you discover that morsel of information?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

“I just know it! Have you met them?” she persisted. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“I have not. I have heard many people trying to make deals with me involving them, but none mentioned Robin Hood being a woman,” Rumplestiltskin said stiffly. 

“I’ll be back for supper,” he said before disappearing once more. 

Bae relaxed. Finally.

 

Rose found him in the library later that afternoon. He was staring at one of his Mama’s books, one she had never learnt to read. He couldn’t truly read it either. 

“Bae, I found the dungeon!” Rose exclaimed. Bae stiffened.

“Leave me alone,” he said.

“But Bae, it’s where Mama was!” Rose continued.

“I don’t want to see where the Dark One locked Mama up before killing her,” Bae shot back. Rose’s eyes welled up with tears and Bae sighed before jumping up.

“Fine. But only for a moment,” Bae acquiesced. He followed the girl down the stairs. The dungeon was a small room with a well in one corner, an empty shelf next to it, and a bed of straw in another. There was a large mound of trash and waste in another corner, Bae noticed. 

Much too large for someone who had only been locked up for a few days.

There was also blood on the walls. The blood wasn’t fresh, but it looked much fresher than four months, which is what it should have been. But he wasn’t the best judge. What did he know? 

What he knew changed abruptly when he noticed a hole in the wall. A hole that led to the outside. His blood ran cold.

His Mama had to have escaped.

She was alive.

She had to be. 

He turned to Rose, who’s eyes reflected what he had just concluded. 

Their Mama was alive. 

 

Belle:

It had been an amazing two months. Belle’s stomach was larger than before. She felt like she would pop any day. But still, she loved every moment of it.

She wished her children were with her. She was the acting mother for Hansel and Gretel, who were around Bae’s age. They had yet to get Abigail returned. They had tried but things kept getting in the way. They were so close this time.

The crew was sitting around the fire, eating and laughing. This was her new family. And once she rescued Bae and Rose, she would keep them here.

“You were amazing tonight Robin!” Abigail said happily. Fredrick nodded as well. No one called her Belle anymore. It was easier for their scams. She gave them a daring smile.

“I’m thankful to be rid of the limp!” she said, smiling at Lancelot. The man smiled back.

“My pleasure. It helps that you can ALMOST retreat at the same pace,” he said. Belle had been overjoyed when she learned his family was experts in healing. It had taken the majority of two weeks, but she now walked without even a trace of a limp. 

“When are you going to give birth already? That’s got to be uncomfortable,” Abigail said jokingly. Belle shook her head.

“My daughter said she would have a sister in the beginning of March,” Belle admitted. She hadn’t mentioned her children since the first day, preferring to keep the details to a minimum.

Her words silenced the group.

“Robin…..today’s the first day of March,” Gus said quietly. Belle’s eyes widened. 

“How did your daughter know that?” Hansel asked, eyes wide.

“My daughter has magic. I don’t know where she got it from, but she has it,” Belle told the boy. Gretel’s eyes widened.

“Like the Dark One?” she asked. Lancelot shook his head, eyes solemn.

“No, some people know where the Dark One’s magic came from,” Lancelot said.

“Where? I’ve never heard this story,” Abigail said softly. Lancelot shook his head.

“It’s not a pleasant story,” he began, but his words only enthralled the group more.

“Long, long ago, when the last Dark One, Zoso, was only a boy, he fell in love with a girl. She was beautiful, but only had eyes for the cursed man of town. The man had been cursed from birth by magic darker than anything anyone had ever seen. He was told that if he could stab someone with a special blade, the curse would transfer from him to the person. 

The two of them plotted to trick Zoso. They tricked him into thinking the girl was going to run away with him, but the cursed man stabbed him instead. Part of the magic kept the two safe from Zoso, but he was still furious. For awhile, he enjoyed the powers he had, until they grew and consumed him. It was said that he was waiting for the right moment to get revenge on the two lovers. The lovers were forced to separate without having children, so I assume there were two families he wanted revenge on,” Lancelot finished.

“Was one of them Rumplestiltskin?” Gus asked. Lancelot nodded.

“I would assume so. I don’t know who the other one was though,” he said thoughtfully. Belle’s blood ran cold.

“I think it was me,” she whispered. 

“Robin?” Gretel asked, eyes wide. Belle shook her head.

“Do you want to hear my tale?” she asked quietly. Never before had she volunteered her story, or any information to them. While she had learnt the stories of everyone else, she had never told them her story.

When no one objected, Belle started.

“I was five when my mother was taken from me. I thought she had been killed. But the king of Avonlea decided he wanted her. Years later, when I was twelve, my father killed himself. I was stricken. I was walking through the woods when I found a baby. 

I took him in. Everyone assumed I was a whore since I appeared with a baby after staying locked in my house for months. One man decided he wanted to marry me, but I begged him not to leave for the ogre wars. Irritated, he allowed his friend to rape me. And I had my second child.

Less than a year ago, I found a man in the woods. I took him in. He turned out to be the king , Rumplestiltskin.”

A chorus of gasps filled the circle. Belle glanced up to see people connecting the dots mentally. 

“He also turned out to be the father of the baby I’d found. I was taken back to the palace to become his fiancée. We are technically married, as we signed the documents about nine months ago. But no one else knows that. I was kidnapped two weeks before the official wedding. Maleficent tortured me for the first week and the second week was spent at the Dark One’s castle. He locked me in a cell and never returned. When you found me, I’d just broken out,” Belle explained. 

“Shit. So we have to go through the Dark One to get your children,” Abigail cursed. Belle nodded. 

“Bring it,” Lancelot said. Belle had to smile. She had finally found people she belonged with. She stood.

“We’ve got a job to do,” she said.

 

This job was simple. At least, that’s what they thought until they realized they had been tricked.

“Took yah long enough, dearies,” a high pitched voice teased from a tree. It was followed by a giggle. The group spun and Belle’s eyes widened from beneath her hood.

It was Rumplestiltskin. But he looked so different. And it wasn’t him at the same time. She could tell this creature in front of her was not the man she had fallen for. 

“Dark One. What do you want?” Lancelot asked, his sword ready. He tittered at them.

“Interesting thing. A little bird told me that the Robin Hood I’ve heard so much about is actually a woman. Care to validate that?” he said lightly. Belle’s blood froze. She knew she looked different now. They had spent much of the first money to make her look as much like the original Robin Hood as possible. Her eyes had some sort of flimsy material that rested over them, giving her eyes a honey color. Her skin was much darker from the sun. 

And her curls had been hacked short.

“We don’t give out free information,” Fredrick spat. Rumplestiltskin stared at him.

“So you’re hiding royalty. How quaint. What’s keeping me from just figuring out…on my own?” Rumplestiltskin asked, his eyebrows lifting. 

“We want a deal,” Abigail said, shooting a glance at her fiancée. 

“I can give you the gold you would have gotten for the phony job,” Rumplestiltskin said lazily, flicking his wrist in disinterest.

“No. We want a girl. A four year old girl,” Abigail said. Belle’s blood froze. What were they doing? Were they really trying to make a deal for her daughter? 

Rumplestiltskin froze as well. His expression turned to one of absolute rage.

“Who told you about her?” he hissed. He was on the ground in an instant, hand wrapped around her throat.

“A girl. We met her by the Dark Castle before she died. She asked us to rescue her children from the demon who possessed them. We figured you were the closest demon,” Gus spat at him. Rumplestiltskin started to lunge at him but froze. As if someone were calling him. He disappeared.

Only to reappear directly in front of Belle. She took a quick step back, but he was faster. His hands grabbed her chest and squeezed. He pulled away, a satisfied smile on his lips. Only to freeze once more. His fingers drifted towards her stomach. 

“A woman. A woman with child, as well,” he said, his voice sounding sinister. He disappeared instantly though without another word. 

“We need to get you to King Midas fast, before he comes after us again,” Lancelot said to Abigail. She nodded. They were close to King Midas’s castle. So close. Maybe an hour or two’s walk, if they hurried.

Belle bit her lip and followed, ignoring the fact that her water had just broke.

 

They were only about a half hour from the castle when they were ambushed. 

One girl was demanding their money. And the other was a large wolf, one that seemed to do whatever the girl ordered. A man was with them as well, and a second wolf stood off in the distance. 

The girl seemed so familiar. Belle squinted and winced as a contraction hit her. 

“Are you okay?” Abigail murmured, reaching for her hand. The woman pointed the bow at them for the movement.

“Baby’s coming,” Belle murmured back. Slightly too loud. 

Lancelot quickly unloaded his money. As did Gus.

“Here. Take it. We have to get her to safety,” Gus said quickly. The woman’s eyes narrowed, and Belle realized who it was.

“Snow?” she asked cautiously. The bow was directly on her until Lancelot stepped into the way. 

“Snow White?” Lancelot asked. The bow nearly dropped.

“Lancelot?” she asked, wide-eyed. She lunged at him, hugging the man tightly. Then she pulled back and stared at Belle. 

“It’s Belle,” Belle said quietly. Snow’s eyes widened and she shook her head. 

“No. It can’t be,” she said. The wolf howled and the man dropped a red cape over it…no…

Red stood in front of them. Her eyes were wide in happiness as she all but tackled Belle.

“Belle! I knew you couldn’t be dead!” she cried. 

“Please, we have to get Abigail to King Midas’s castle. The Dark One’s coming after us,” Gus begged. 

“The Dark One wouldn’t dare hurt you,” Red scoffed, her words directed at Belle.

“I don’t look like Belle,” Belle said. She smiled at them, lowering her hood.

“I am Robin Hood,” she introduced herself with a smile, but the smile was wiped from her face when another contraction hit.

“Robin?” Gretel asked, eyes wide in fear.

“We need to get to King Midas quickly. The baby’s coming and so is the Dark One,” Abigail said. 

 

The group of them reached the castle and gained easy entrance. The king was overjoyed to see Abigail and Fredrick safe.

They led Belle to a room where she could lay down. Snow told Belle of what she had missed, of Daniel’s death and Cora’s return, of Regina’s hatred and her flight. In the few months she had been presumed dead, much had changed. The peace over the land had crumbled. 

In return, Belle told them her story in between contractions. At the end of it, the contractions were getting worse. Abigail, Snow, and Red were all in there with her. 

“If the Dark One comes, we’ll keep him from you,” Snow swore.

“Don’t say his name. He can hear you call his name,” Red hissed. Belle’s eyes widened.

“ROSE!” Belle screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Belle! What’s wrong?” Abigail asked. Belle shook her head.

“Rose should be able to hear me. She can do whatever anyone else can. ROSE!” Belle shouted again. At the sound, Rose appeared in the middle of the room. When her eyes fell on Belle, she lit up and jumped onto the bed. She picked the wrong moment. A contraction hit Belle and she felt as if she were being ripped to pieces. 

Rose looked terrified.

“I’ll go get Papa!” she promised, but Belle shook her head.

“No! You can’t tell him where I am. Please. Go back. I’ll call you and your brother when your sister is here,” Belle promised before another scream was ripped from her. The girl nodded and disappeared once more. 

 

Rumplestiltskin:

He had only just arrived home to hear Bae and Rose trying to tell him something at the same time. He couldn’t make any of their words out and before they had even finished, Rose’s eyes widened and she disappeared. 

Rumplestiltskin cursed.

“Papa, Mama’s alive,” Bae said quickly. Rumplestiltskin’s heart nearly stopped. It was the first time Bae had called him Papa since he had acquired the Dark One. 

“Impossible. I just met with some people who said they met her before she died,” Rumplestiltskin said. Because his thoughts were immediately travelling back to the woman. Robin Hood. Who was very pregnant. Just as Belle would be. 

Rose appeared back in the room, her eyes worried.

“Mama’s in pain,” she said. Rumplestiltskin grabbed the girl by her arms.

“Where is she? Rose, what’s happening?” he begged the girl. Rose shook her head.

“Mama told me not to tell you,” she said, but her bottom lip was quivering. 

“Why is she in pain?” Rumplestiltskin tried. The girl shook her head.

“She said she would call me and Bae when we could meet our new sister,” Rose said. 

“She’s in labor!” Bae breathed. 

“Please tell me someone’s helping her!” Bae begged his sister. He remembered helping his mother deliver Rose. It had been scarring, but no one else would help. 

“Red was there. And Snow. And someone else,” Rose said. 

“Rose, whatever you do, tell me when she calls. Do not, I repeat, do not go to her. Please. I want to bring her and the baby back here. I don’t want them trying to take you two from me,” Rumplestiltskin told the girl. Rose’s lip quivered.

“But I want Mama,” she whispered. Rumplestiltskin nodded.

“And I will get you your Mama. I promise,” he swore. He quickly headed up the stairs to his workshop area. At the top of the stairs, he cast a spell.

A spell preventing Rose from magicking herself or Bae out of the house.

He was not about to lose his children. 

 

Belle:

Agonizing hours later, her daughter was born. A beautiful baby girl. 

Abigail left the moment the baby was born to warn her father of Rumplestiltskin. Belle held the baby close to her, staring intently.

“What’s her name?” Red asked quietly, staring at the already sleeping baby.

“Lacey. Lacey Robin,” Belle breathed. 

“I still can’t believe you’re Robin Hood. I’d heard of Robin but never in my wildest dreams…” Snow said. Belle smiled ruefully at her friend.

“The bow. Something’s enchanted with it, I think. But it only works for certain people. I can use other bows as well. The magic rubbed off onto me,” Belle tried explaining. Of course, the others didn’t believe it. They just knew the bow wouldn’t shoot for them. And that every bow worked wonders in Belle’s hands. 

“Snow, what exactly happened to Rumplestiltskin?” Belle asked her friend. Snow sighed.

“He killed the Dark One after we discovered he had killed you. Or so we’d thought. He wasn’t too different in the beginning, but it was obvious something else was inside of him. And now…” Snow drifted off.

“He’s more imp than human. I know. He attacked us,” Belle said. 

“Do you think he knows the truth?” Snow asked. Belle hesitated.

“I’m not sure. He noticed I was pregnant. And left instantly. He may know now,” Belle said.

“But what would he care?” Belle added. Snow shook her head.

“Belle, your death is what tore him apart. That’s what caused him to kill the Dark One, to allow the Dark One to take him over. To get rid of the pain he felt for loosing you,” Snow tried explaining.

“My children. What about my children? What’s he done to them?” Belle tried to ask. Snow shook her head.

“He never hurt them, if what I heard was correct. Rose still loves him, but Bae hates him. Rose told me, before all that happened with Regina, that he was her real papa now,” Snow said, the question in her eyes. Belle shook her head but stopped. 

“The Dark One can change forms?” Belle asked. Snow nodded. Belle nodded in return.

“Then it would make sense,” Belle mused. And shuddered. She glanced down at her baby.

“Two of my children are plagued by magic. Are you also, little one?” Belle asked softly. The child, still asleep, grabbed one of her fingers and held tightly.

“Time will only tell,” Snow said soothingly. 

“Can you let the others in? I want them to meet Lacey,” Belle asked. Snow nodded and quickly ran out of the room. 

The Merry Men hurried in, each wide-eyed in worry. Worry that lifted when they saw a healthy Belle and a healthy baby.

“Robin!” Gretel cried happily, launching herself at Belle. Hansel did the same, only he was slightly more reserved. Belle tentatively allowed Gretel to hold the baby.

“What’s her name?” King Midas asked as he entered the room behind the rest of them. Belle smiled.

“Lacey Robin,” Belle told them. Lancelot nearly melted.

“Now we have a baby Robin as well,” he said with soft eyes. Belle laughed and nodded. And noticed the stranger in the room. The one that had been with Red and Snow. She tilted her head, staring at him. He smiled at her.

“I’m sorry. I’m the Huntsman,” he introduced when he noticed her staring.

“Huntsman? That doesn’t sound like a name?” Belle questioned. He stared back at her.

“It’s the only name I’ve ever had,” he retorted, puzzled. Belle shook her head.

“Graham. Your name is Graham. You need a name, not a title,” Belle said. The man seemed honored and shocked to be given a name, but didn’t refuse it. 

“My daughter informed me of the situation at hand, and how you helped her and her friends. I am forever in your debt,” King Midas said. Gretel handed the baby back to Belle and she smiled.

“No. They rescued me, gave me a new identity, and have done more for me than I could ever imagine. If anything, I owe them,” Belle said. The king shook his head.

“Nonsense. I understand you are in trouble. I will allow you to continue using my late daughter’s name and identity. And will claim you as my daughter. No one crosses King Midas,” he informed her. Belle smiled at his words. 

“Thank you, your highness. Your words are too kind,” she said. Abigail frowned suddenly.

“Father, we have one last mission we must do, besides continuing to free the land from darkness. Robin’s children are living with the Dark One and we promised to help free them,” Abigail said. 

“ROSE!” Belle called instantly. 

“She should come. I told her to come when I called her,” Belle said. Snow quickly explained to the others what had happened.

No one came.

Words flitted through the air instead.

I’m sorry Mama. Papa won’t let us leave.

The words were like a dagger to her heart. 

“He won’t let them go,” Belle said, horror-struck. Gus quickly patted her on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry. We’ll rescue them,” he promised. 

“We must go,” Belle said, struggling to get out of the bed. Lancelot quickly pushed her down.

“No. You can’t move just yet,” he warned, but Belle shook her head.

“What about the other villages that need liberating?” Belle questioned. The others shared a look, one that Belle did not like.

“It’ll be harder, now, with a baby,” Gus tried to say. Belle glared at him. 

“My baby will be fine. It’ll actually be easier. I won’t have a stomach to hide,” Belle informed him snarkily.

“No, just a squirming babe,” Lancelot retorted sarcastically. Belle shook her head.

“My first son was never that loud. And my first daughter never cried. Lacey will be fine,” Belle told them. But they were still dubious.

“Bae wasn’t your son by birth. And Rose had dark magic in her,” Snow countered. 

“I can solve this problem,” King Midas said. A few seconds later, the room was filled with a light blue light. A fairy appeared in the middle of the room.

“Reul Ghorm, this is my other daughter, Robin,” King Midas introduced. The fairy turned to Belle and then back to King Midas.

“She is not,” Reul Ghorm retorted. But King Midas shook his head once more.

“She is NOW my daughter, Robin. Can you tell us if the babe has any magic? If she will be quiet or loud?” King Midas asked. The blue fairy sighed and glanced at the baby. And her eyebrows furrowed together.

“She has magic. White magic and dark magic, swirled together. By Gods, child, how did the magic mix?” the fairy asked Belle. Belle shook her head.

“No. She should only have dark magic. Her father is Rumplestiltskin, pre-Dark One,” Belle tried explaining. The blue fairy sighed.

“Child, where did you get white magic from? White magic cannot be gained, only come from genetics,” the blue fairy said. Belle tilted her head.

“I don’t have magic,” she said, uncertainly. 

“The bow worked for you and wouldn’t work for anyone else,” Gus said suddenly. 

“Your leg. While my healing helped, there’s no way my healing could have fixed it as well as it did,” Lancelet recounted. 

“You said Rose’s father was actually the Dark One. There’s no way that girl could be so sweet if she only had dark magic in her,” Snow added. Belle stared at them.

“But how did I get white magic?” she questioned.

“From your parents. Both of them, I’d assume, because of how strong the magic in you is,” Reul Ghorm said. She stared at Belle for a moment.

“Who were your parents?” she asked. Belle shook her head.

“Lily of Avonlea and Moe French. Neither of them were more than peasants,” Belle said, saying what her father had told her before he had killed himself. The Blue Fairy stared at her for a moment. 

“Lily was a fairy before she gave up her wings. Moe was a dwarf who was hatched when a cloud of fairy dust permeated his egg. Both of white magic,” the blue fairy explained. Belle stared at her for a moment, shaking her head. 

“Ok. There you go. She’ll be fine,” Belle said, swallowing the lump in her throat. This was all just too much to take in. 

“Fine for what?” Rheul Ghorm asked curiously.

“For the work of Robin Hood and the Merry Men,” Gus deadpanned. The Blue Fairy’s eyes widened. 

“That’s much too dangerous for a child!” she said. Belle ignored her.

“Can your magic rival the Dark One’s?” Belle interrupted. The Blue Fairy stared at her.

“It can. Why?” she asked suspiciously.

“I would rather my….husband….not be able to take me or my baby against my will. He is keeping my children from me and I don’t want him taking Lacey,” Belle explained. The Blue Fairy’s eyes widened.

“You’re married to him?” she asked with a gasp. King Midas looked faint for a moment. Belle nodded. 

“And I want my children away from him,” she added. The Blue Fairy nodded and waved her wand over Belle and the baby.

“It is done. You have to go willingly with him. He cannot take you against your will. Or your baby,” she said. Belle allowed herself to smile at the woman.

“Thank you,” she breathed. The Blue Fairy smiled as well.

“Anything for a member of Midas’s family,” she said. 

And just like that, she was accepted as Robin Midas, Robin Hood. No longer Belle. 

 

Bae:

 

Rose looked absolutely forlorn.

“What’s wrong?” Bae asked, instantly noticing her change.

“Mama had her baby, but Papa won’t let us leave,” Rose said sadly. Bae stared at her for a moment before he felt fury build up inside of him. He stomped away from her. He was halfway up the stairs to where he knew Rumplestiltskin spent most of his time when he felt some sort of soft magic caressing him, trying to calm him down. Rose.

Rose was trying to keep him from hurting her Papa. The thought angered Bae more, but he stopped and forced himself to sit. He had to think. He wanted more than anything to find his Mama and his newest sister. And he wanted Rose to come with him. 

He needed to get out of the castle and find her.

He slowly stood, a plan forming in his head. 

His feet carried him to his father’s study. He knocked hesitantly before entering.

“Father,” Bae said, forcing the name to come out. It had the desired effect. Rumplestiltskin ceased what he was doing to turn to the boy. 

“Is there any way I can go visit Emma?”


	11. Chapter 11

Bae:

Rumplestiltskin was suspicious but acquiesced all the same. Bae had no idea where Emma was or how he would find her, but he now had a way out. Rumplestiltskin absolutely refused to allow Rose to go with him, which put a huge kink in his plan. But it didn’t matter. He was going to find his Mama. 

Rumplestiltskin solved his problem. He waved his hand in front of Bae and he just…disappeared. He blinked and was standing in a bedroom, in front of Emma. Who promptly screamed and slapped him before diving under her blanket. Bae blinked, confused. 

A moment later, Charming burst in, sword brandished. When he saw Bae, he just looked confused.

“Baelfire? What are you doing here?” Charming asked.

“He just appeared!” Emma said from under her blankets. 

“The Dark One said I could visit Emma,” Bae said uncomfortably. Charming nodded, lowering the sword and resting his hand on Bae’s shoulder.

“Come on son. Let Emma get dressed,” he said, steering the boy out of the room.

Get dressed? Bae’s eyes widened but allowed Charming to bring him to a parlor room.

“How have you been?” Charming asked quietly. Bae shrugged.

“Everything’s been…difficult. But Mama’s alive,” Bae said, his words hushed. 

Not hushed enough.

“Belle’s alive?” Emma asked incredulously from the doorway. Bae nodded.

“Rose saw her. She gave birth to a girl. I have another sister. But the Dark One won’t let us leave to find her now,” Bae said. 

“I thought Rumplestiltskin would have wanted Belle,” Charming mused. Bae shook his head.

“Mama wouldn’t want to come to him though,” he said. Charming nodded. Bae turned to Emma.

“Your mom’s with my mom,” he said. Emma’s eyes widened as she exchanged glances with Charming.

“So you’re saying if we find Belle, we find Snow?” Charming asked. Bae nodded excitedly. 

“Then let’s go.”

 

They had been riding on horseback for awhile. Bae was uncomfortable with it, but Emma, who rode on the horse with him, wasted no time in showing him what to do.

“What exactly happened? Why did Snow leave?” Bae asked.

“Regina and her got into a…disagreement. Regina thought Mother killed Daniel, but she didn’t. So Snow had to run. She left us in the middle of the night,” Emma said. Bae could tell the girl was biting back tears.

“We’ll find her,” Bae promised. 

“How long do you have?” Charming asked. Bae shook his head.

“I have no idea. He didn’t tell me how long I had,” Bae said, realizing his error. Of course he wouldn’t know how long he had. What a dilemma. That just meant they had to work harder, faster. 

As they were riding, Bae noticed the towns all seemed dismal, dark. None appeared anything like the town he’d grown up in.

“What happened here?” Bae asked as they passed through one of the many towns.

“When all the dark magic started being used at once, a darkness covered the land, smothering out any happiness,” Emma tried explaining.

“What?” Bae asked, confused.

“While all this dark magic already existed, it hadn’t been being used as much before, which is why the lands were relatively happy and peaceful. Now, that’s all been shattered. The darkness infects everything around it,” Charming explained.

“Who all is using so much dark magic?” Bae asked. He knew Rumplestiltskin was using dark magic, but the dark one had always been using dark magic. Charming winced.

“Regina is using her dark magic to its extent, as is Rumplestiltskin. Cora, Regina’s mother, is also using dark magic. She previously was not in our world. It has really tipped the balance out of line. The dwarves have been working day and night to harvest enough fairy dust to attempt to bring balance back,” Charming explained. At the mention of the dwarves, Bae perked up. He had never been allowed to meet the dwarves, but he had heard stories from Emma, who spent much time with them.

He hoped he would get to meet a dwarf on this quest to find his mother.

 

Belle:

They left King Midas’s castle as soon as they could, but it still wasn’t soon enough for Belle. They left Kathryn and Fredrick behind, much to their protest. Little John was the one to finally convince them to stay. 

They immediately set out to do as they had before. The group was near the edge of the forest when an unexpected surprise greeted them. A man. A man who knew Hansel and Gretel.

At the sight of a strange man staggering towards them, Belle had instantly drew her bow, grateful for the sling Midas had provided her with for Lacey. 

However, before anything could happen, Gretel had cried out an elated Papa! The two children lunged at the man, tackling him to the ground. Belle hesitantly lowered her bow, glancing at Little John and Lancelot. Lancelot nodded discreetly. It was their father.

“Robin, this is our papa! We lost him a long time ago!” Gretel introduced happily. Belle nodded to him in greeting. The man’s smile was wide enough to crack his face.

“I can’t thank you enough for taking care for my children,” he said, his voice breaking. Gus stepped forward.

“It’s no problem. Unfortunately, we must get moving. Children, am I correct in assuming you would like to stay with your father?” Gus asked. Both children nodded quickly.

“Then take our cabin nearby. You should live there safely,” Lancelot offered. The man was grateful and, once the children had hugged everyone goodbye, they were gone. 

Belle couldn’t help the empty feeling their disappearance left in her heart. It was as if she had lost her own children once more. She felt an arm on her shoulder and turned to see Red offering her a soft smile. 

“We need to keep moving,” Lancelot urged them. Belle nodded in agreement. 

“The first stop we make needs to be to procure disguises for Red and Snow. The two are too obvious,” Belle said.

“Are we allowed to stay with you?” Snow asked hesitantly. Belle nodded without preamble.

“In case you haven’t noticed, we’re short a few merry men. The more…the merrier,” Belle finished wryly, realizing how corny the joke was. 

 

It didn’t take them long to disguise the two additions. And make their way to the newest town to liberate. Red and Snow caught on quickly to the routine, adding to it in a great way. Red’s heightened senses helped keep them out of misfortune on more than one occasion. 

That is, until the day they were caught.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

He had spent the good portion of a week trying and failing to track Belle. He could track Robin Hood and the Merry Men easily enough by their actions, but something seemed to be blocking his ability to sense them. 

He only could spend a certain amount of time doing it too, since he was alone with Rose. The poor girl was beyond lonely without her brother. Rumplestiltskin debated more than once pulling Bae back, but he wanted to try to gain the boy’s affection, and he knew how much Bae cared for Emma. 

Still, he was going crazy. Now that he knew she was alive, knew he had quite possibly touched her and not known it was her, he couldn’t stand the thought of not being near her. He didn’t know why it was. He had certainly cared for her immensely before she had died – no, before he had been tricked - but maybe it was the absence. It had to be the absence. He knew that, no matter what, he had to get her back.

If not for him, then for Rose and Bae. Rose’s excitement at realizing her mother was still alive ebbed off with each day, and he felt a pang of regret for not allowing the girl to go to her mother.

No. She was HIS child. His. He wouldn’t let anyone take the girl from him. The girl was the only one who loved him anymore, and he was not about to let anyone take her from him. She was HIS. 

Even if that meant locking her up in this castle for the rest of her life, he would do it. 

 

Belle:

They had just finished a job. A successful job. They were on their way out when Red sensed them.

“Someone’s coming. A lot of someone,” Red said. 

Belle’s eyes widened. She turned to Snow.

“Go! They can’t capture you. Hurry! Go the other way,” Belle urged. Snow’s eyes widened.

“I can’t leave you guys!” she protested. 

“No. Robin’s right. Go!” Lancelot begged. Red grabbed Snow and ran as fast as she could in the opposite way.

“You should have gave Lacey to her,” Lancelot said tightly to Belle, whose eyes widened at the realization.

“We just can’t get caught,” Belle said. The group quickly tried running in a direction different to the one Snow and Red had run.

But not soon enough. 

They were surrounded.

“Well, well, well. Look what we have here. If it isn’t Robin Hood and his Merry Men. I’m sure you’ll fetch a high price,” a voice drawled. Belle spun to see a pirate standing in front of them. The rest of the men were all pirates. 

“What do you want?” Little John asked, taking a step closer to Belle. Lancelot and Gus were also rather close to her, as if forming a human shield around her. 

“Money. And you’ll get me quite a bit,” the pirate who Belle assumed was the captain said. 

“We’ll go with you peacefully if you let Robin go,” Lancelot said abruptly. The other men nodded. Belle started to protest but stopped when Gus kicked her. They were trying to keep her secret, and Lacey, safe. And she knew she would do anything to rescue them.

“No deal. Robin’ll fetch the highest price,” the captain said with a smirk. The pirates started closing in on them.

“Wait! We’ll go with you…peacefully. Just…don’t touch us. You can surround us, but allow us to walk with dignity,” Lancelot tried. The captain continued to smirk. And waved his hand as the men apprehended all of them.

 

They ended up on a ship. Belle had been lucky. She cooperated enough no one tried touching her. Lacey was asleep, thank God, but the girl would wake up soon, hungry. And Belle’s hands were still tied. 

The other men were escorted to a jail-cell in the bottom of the ship while Belle was led to the Captain’s room. Still tied, she was thrown into a chair while the captain locked the door. He turned to her, a smirk in place on his lips. The throw woke up Lacey, who was, thankfully, silent. But she wouldn’t be for long.

“So you’re the infamous Robin Hood. Allow me to introduce myself. The name’s Killian Jones. Or Captain Hook,” he said with a smirk. Belle’s eyes drifted to both of his normal hands. He noticed.

“My favorite weapon is a hook. That’s where the name came from,” he said, striding forward. He pulled the hood off. He started, staring at her. He blinked for a moment before his eyes scanned her body. 

“You’re a woman,” he said, his lips turning from a smirk to irritation. And they landed on the sling under her shirt, where it looked like she was packing a weapon. Belle’s heart stuttered. 

“Please. You won’t get as much money for me if you tell people I’m a girl. They will pay higher if they think I’m a man,” Belle said quickly. Hook stared at her, eyes narrowed.

Until he heard Lacey’s cry. Eyes widening, he lifted the shirt up to see a squirming Lacey, indignant due to her hunger. 

“Good Lord, a baby?” he asked, obviously frustrated. This was not how he expected his interrogation to go.

“Please. Can you untie me so I can feed her? I won’t move from the seat,” Belle begged, silently urging Lacey to be quiet for a moment. Hook stared before pulling out some more rope. He tied her feet to the chair and then her waist, tightly, before untying her hands. Belle immediately pulled her arms through her sleeves, pulling Lacey to position before allowing the child to drink. 

“This is not how I was hoping for this to go,” Hook said, frustrated. Belle stared at him for a moment, thougthful.

“How much money were you hoping to get out of me and my men?” Belle asked. Hook’s eyes shot up to her.

“As much as I could,” he admitted.

“I can get you that. If you send a letter to King Jefferson, he will pay you whatever you want. Not for Robin Hood, but for me,” Belle suggested. 

“And if he won’t?” Hook challenged. Belle shrugged carefully, not to disturb Lacey.

“He will. But if he won’t you can try to sell us as Robin Hood. You can keep us under the identity of Robin Hood for now until you get an answer. If you can’t, King Midas would pay for us, but not as much as Jefferson would,” Belle said, hoping her words were truth. She figured Red would go straight to Jefferson. She hoped that was what would happen. 

Hook was contemplating it.

“I don’t know love. Sounds like a good plan. But who are you that’s so important to King Jefferson? His daughter’s mother, maybe?” Hook tried. Belle shook her head.

“I’m Belle. No last name. Just…Belle. Tell him in the letter you write that Belle is alive and you have captured her. Demand your price. He will pay it,” Belle said. Hook stared at her once more.

“I will include the child too, of course. I can get more money out of two people being ransomed,” he said.

“Five people. Gus, Lancelot, and Little John will come too,” Belle corrected. Hook stared.

“And if he doesn’t have enough money for the ransom?” Hook asked.

“He will find the money. That I promise you. You can add on the letter that if he needs extra support, that King Midas will help,” Belle said. Hook’s eyebrow lifted.

“Oh?” he said. Belle nodded.

“Trust me when I say that he will find whatever you ask for. A lot of people like Belle,” Belle told him.

“Then how did Belle become Robin Hood?” Hook asked. This time, Belle could tell it was just plain curiosity. Lacey stopped eating. Belle pulled one hand back through her sleeve and awkwardly shifted Lacey so she was on the front now. She pulled the tiny burp clothe she had as well, gently patting Lacey on the back. Hook’s eyes were glued to the child in fascination.

“That’s a story for another day, if you don’t mind,” Belle asked. 

“Is Jefferson this baby’s father?” Hook asked. Belle shook her head, smiling at the thought. Red would have killed her if that were the case. 

“Will the baby’s father help pay the ransom?” Hook pressed. Belle couldn’t hide her horror at the thought.

“No. I want nothing to do with him. He has my other children,” Belle said. Hook stared at her, thinking, for a moment.

“I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll keep your secret if I can get all the money I want. But there’s one person who I do have to tell. And that person and I want to spend time with your baby,” Hook said. Belle gripped Lacey tighter.

“No. You can’t have her,” Belle hissed. Hook let out an emotionless laugh.

“Love, we don’t want to take her from her. My….lover, and I, have not been able to have a baby. And we would love to be able to spend time with you and your baby,” Hook said. Belle felt slightly relieved at the statement.   
“You won’t hurt my baby? Or try to take her from me?” Belle clarified. The man nodded.

“You have my word,” he promised.

“And my men will be treated civilly?” Belle pressed. The man nodded. Belle sighed.

“Then you have my word. When will I meet your lover?” Belle asked.

“Tonight. She’s picking up necessities right now. And I’ll send her back out to get some things for the baby as well,” Hook told her. 

 

Bae:

Bae wasn’t sure exactly where they were, but none of that mattered when two women stumbled in front of them. The women glanced up and their eyes went wide. The one ripped a wig off.

Snow White.

“Charming!” she cried. Charming threw himself from his horse and pulled her into a hug. The other woman pulled her wig off, and for a moment Bae hoped it would be his mother. It wasn’t. It was Red. 

Emma jumped off the horse as well, hugging her mother tightly. Bae struggled to get down. When Snow saw him, her eyes widened. She glanced at Red, whose expression mirrored her own.

“Where’s Mama?” Bae asked uncomfortably.

“She got captured. We have to get some help. They’ll try to ransom her,” Red explained. Bae stared at her for a moment.

“Why did they want to capture her? And who would they ransom her to? Not the Dark One!” Bae exclaimed, horrified. Red shook her head quickly.

“Oh no. She’s Robin Hood,” Red said. Bae’s eyes widened.

“My Mama is Robin Hood?” he questioned. Red nodded. Emma’s eyes were wide in admiration.

“Your Mama’s so cool!” she breathed, still hugging her own mother. 

“Who caught them? And who will they be ransomed to?” Bae questioned. Red scrunched up her nose.

“They smelt dirty. And like the sea. Pirates? I think they may have been pirates. And I don’t know. Maybe King Midas?” Red asked, turning to Snow. Snow shook her head.

“I don’t think so. She wouldn’t do that. And she definitely wouldn’t ask for Rumplestiltskin’s help. Jefferson?” Snow asked. Red pondered it for a moment.

“Yes. Jefferson,” she agreed.

“They we must get to Jefferson’s palace and inform him of the situation immediately,” Charming said. Bae started to follow Emma onto the horse but felt a tug.

“The Dark One’s pulling me back!” he said reluctantly. Emma released her mother and hugged him tightly before releasing him just as he was pulled back to the dark castle. 

Standing in front of an irritated Rumplestiltskin.

“Where were you? You weren’t at the Charming Castle,” Rumplestiltskin lectured, his eyes full of anger. Bae shook his head.

“I was helping Emma and her father find Snow White!” he said. His eyes narrowed.

“And your mother,” he stated. Bae swallowed. 

“Well? Were you successful?” he asked sharply. Bae shrugged.

“We found Snow. So we were successful in that. But Mama was…no longer with her,” Bae said carefully. If his mama was going to be ransomed, the last thing he wanted was for Rumplestiltskin to get involved. His mama wanted nothing to do with the Dark One. He wouldn’t trap her here like he was trapped. 

“I will find her. Mark my words. Rose wants her Mama. And I will get her her Mama,” Rumplestiltskin swore. Bae didn’t like what he was saying. 

He ran down the stairs to find Rose, who was gleeful to see him. Of course she was. The girl missed him. And he missed her. 

He sat her down and shared with her, after making sure Rumplestiltskin wasn’t right there, the story of what he had done. And when he finished, he told her about how her brave Mama was Robin Hood.

He had never seen his little sister happier.

 

Belle:

The sun had set awhile ago. She was still tied to the chair, and Lacey was asleep again. It was close to time for her to wake up for more food. Hook was waiting in the room with her when Lacey did indeed wake up. His lover should be back soon.

It was as she was maneuvering Lacey again that Hook spoke.

“How…exactly…does she eat?” he asked, almost shyly. His words caused Belle to jump. She glanced up to see him biting his lip nervously. It was almost endearing, how – for lack of a better word – innocent the man was concerning children. She allowed Lacey to latch on.

“Breast milk,” Belle said, keeping her face a neutral color. Hook nodded quickly, his cheeks tinged a light pink. She pretended she didn’t notice. 

There was a knock and Hook quickly made his way to the door, unlocking it and allowing a woman with dark brown hair into the room. She was carrying two large bags with things. She sat the bags down on the bed before turning to look at Belle. Her eyes scanned Belle up and down for a moment.

“Belle, this is my…lover, Milah. Milah, this is Belle. Her baby, Lacey, is currently feeding,” Hook introduced. Belle felt her face grow incredibly pale. Her eyes skimmed over Milah. She had the same hair color as Belle – as Bae. Milah looked rather similar to Belle in almost all aspects. And similar to Bae. Belle felt herself growing faint. 

“You’re supposed to be dead,” Belle said faintly. Milah stared at her as if she had grown a second head before turning on her heel to face Hook.

“She’s from his kingdom!” she hissed. Hook’s eyes widened as they darted between the two of them.

“They said they found your body. That you were dead,” Belle continued. She couldn’t believe this. She really couldn’t. Oh God. What if she tried to take Bae from her?

The thought was completely illogical, but she couldn’t get rid of the thought. What if she got her son back, only for Milah to take him from her. 

“Who ARE you?” Milah demanded. Belle laughed hysterically the question.

“I’m your husband’s second wife,” she responded bitterly. The woman’s eyes widened marginally as they glanced at where Lacey was resting under Belle’s shirt. 

“Husband’s…….shit. Are you telling me you’re married to the Dark One?” Hook asked angrily. Belle couldn’t do anything but laugh at her misfortune. What was this? How had this even happened?

She only stopped laughing when a hand slapped her face so hard the chair nearly fell over. Lacey squeaked in protest. Hook was staring at her.

“Can you two please explain to me what is going on? Now,” he demanded. Belle shook her head. 

“Of all the fucking people in the world…” Belle said. Milah glared at her.

“I was not aware Rumplestiltskin married again,” she said. Belle shook her head.

“Not in ceremony. We signed the document early though. Before my death was staged by the Dark One,” Belle said. Milah let out her own sudden bark of laughter.

“The Dark One staged my death too. How odd,” she said. Belle stared at her.

“He planned everything. He planned all of this just to get revenge on me and Rumplestiltskin,” Belle realized, horrified. 

“Planned what?” Milah asked.

“For me to find Bae in the woods and raise him. Every little thing that happened, he planned,” Belle said hollowly.

“Who’s Bae?” Milah asked, but Belle could tell from her facial expression that Milah knew who Bae was.

“My son. Your son. Rumplestiltskin’s son,” Belle said. Milah’s eyes widened at hearing the words out loud.

“Is he safe? Is he okay?” she asked. Belle shrugged.

“I wouldn’t know. The Dark One has him and my other daughter and won’t let them go,” Belle said bitterly. The look on Milah’s face was one of absolutely heartbreak. It didn’t fit what Rumplestiltskin told her. 

Everything seemed to snap into perspective.

“You didn’t want to leave Bae, did you?” Belle asked. Milah sucked in a sharp breath and shook her head.

“I wanted to keep him. Killian and I were going to keep him and raise him as our own. But the Dark One’s price for faking my death to allow me to leave was for me to leave Bae in the woods,” Milah explained. 

“Love, it’s not that I don’t believe you, but that was fourteen years ago. You don’t look old enough to have raised a fourteen year old,” Hook said.

“I’m twenty-six. I think,” Belle said, trying to figure out the day. She gave up quickly.

“So it ruined your life to take him in as your own,” Milah said suddenly. Belle shook her head.

“Bae was one of the best things that ever happened to me,” Belle told the woman. 

Lacey finished eating and Belle once more pulled the child from her shirt to burp her. She would need to change her diaper soon. 

When Milah’s eyes landed on Lacey, they lit up.

“What’s her name?’ Milah asked, stepping closer.

“Lacey Robin. I’m going to need to change her after I burp her. Is there any way you can untie me?” Belle asked. Milah nodded to Hook, who cautiously made his way to her and cut the ropes with a hook he pulled from his pocket. 

“When we lost Bae, we were going to have another child. But no matter what, I couldn’t get pregnant. I found a doctor who told me I had been cursed. The Dark One had cursed me so I would be barren,” Milah told Belle, watching as Belle burped Lacey. 

“Would you like to help change her diaper?” Belle offered. She barely knew Milah, but there was…something about Milah that made her like her. Milah nodded shyly as she pulled out some items from the bag. She laid a blanket down on the bed and pulled out a diaper and some clothe. Belle stood and nearly fell from being in the same position for so long. Hook caught her effortlessly. 

“Thanks,” Belle breathed, making it to the bed. She laid Lacey down, who’s hazel eyes watched them carefully.

“She has his eyes,” Milah observed. Belle nodded.

“She does. And his nose,” Belle added. Milah helped her change the diaper, seeming incredibly happy to have the experience. 

 

Jefferson:

He got the letter minutes before the arrival of the Charmings. He was actually halfway through reading it when they burst into his castle. He stood quickly.

“Jefferson! Belle’s alive!” Charming said. Jefferson nodded, holding up the letter.

“I’ve got the letter. I have a week to come up with a rather large ransom for her, her daughter, and her three men,” Jefferson said, shell shocked. Charming snatched the letter, scanning it carefully. He cursed.

“We can help pay it,” Charming offered. Jefferson shook his head.

“I could cover it. But I’m not going to. Rumplestiltskin deserves to know his wife is alive,” Jefferson said. Snow and Red ran at him at once.

“NO! Don’t call him,” Red said, throwing herself at him. Snow was right behind her.

“She doesn’t want anything to do with him,” Snow added. Jefferson sighed.

“She may not, but that’s his child too. And he did love her. Does love her, I’m sure. And he can do a much better job at rescuing them than we could. What if it was all just a trap?” Jefferson asked. Charming shook his head.

“We cannot call him,” Charming insisted.

“Talking about me, are we?” an impish voice asked from behind them, coupled with a giggle. The whole group spun around to see Rumplestiltskin lazing at the top of a chair, watching them gleefully. That is, until his eyes zeroed in on the letter. A letter Jefferson held out to him.

Rumplestiltskin snatched the letter quickly, eyes scanning it quickly. When he finished, the letter fell from his hands and he had fury in his eyes.

“I’ll be back,” he promised, disappearing from them.

“Shit,” Charming cursed. Jefferson couldn’t agree more.

 

Belle:

Despite being their prisoner, Belle had grown rather close to both Milah and Hook. The two treated her as if she were part of their family, something Belle valued above all else. She was allowed to visit her men once a day, and they were treated well. In a way, she wished she could stay with Hook and Milah forever. 

But she knew better. She had to rescue her children. And Hook and his crew needed the money. 

It was on a day like this that she was in the cabin with Milah and Hook, playing with Lacey, when they heard a shout on the deck.

“Who is that?” Belle asked suddenly, scooping Lacey into her arms.

“It’s too soon to be Jefferson. He would have just got the letter,” Hook said, frowning. Another scream was heard. Belle quickly tucked the baby into her shirt as she followed Milah and Hook onto the deck.

Rumplestiltskin was there, gleefully killing men left and right.

“Stop!” Hook bellowed. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrowed on him. 

“So YOU’RE the bastard that took my wife and child,” he hissed.

“No!” Milah shouted, throwing herself in front of Hook. Rumplestiltskin froze.

“Milah?” he asked hesitantly. She nodded.

“You were dead. I saw you,” he said.

“I made a deal so I could run away with my true love,” Milah said. It was the wrong thing to say. Belle knew that. Rumplestiltskin’s hand plunged into her chest. Belle ran forward.

“NO! Stop! Don’t you DARE kill her!” Belle shouted, slamming her fist into Rumplestiltskin’s arm. Rumplestiltskin’s face froze even more. He reached out to touch her but the Blue Fairy’s magic protected her. He stared stupidly at her.

“The blue fairy gave me this gift. You cannot take me or my daughter without my willingness,” Belle told him defiantly. 

“They kidnapped you,” he said viciously.

“And they are my family now,” Belle said. This darkened his expression even more. He ripped her heart out, still beating.

“If you kill him or her I will never go with you!” Belle shouted. He glared at her for a moment.

“Then what will it take for you to come with me?” he questioned sarcastically, giggling impishly.

“I want five things,” Belle said, still watching the heart in his hands.

“Name away, dearie,” he said. 

“Hook will receive the amount of money he asked for,” Belle said. Rumplestiltskin snapped his finger and baskets full of gold thread appeared.

“Done,” he said. Belle gulped at the sudden display of power.

“My men, the Merry Men, will be set free to do as they were before,” Belle continued. Another snap of his fingers had the men on deck with them. They saw him and her and immediately tried to protect her but Belle held up a hand.

“You will not kill or harm Killian, Milah, or their crew in any way. They will live unharmed,” Belle said. This made Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrow. He tersely nodded. Belle grabbed the heart from his hands, taking it and after a moment of hesitation, shoved it back into Milah’s chest. The woman gasped at the feeling, but her eyes held eternal gratitude. 

“You will restore Milah’s womb so she can bear children once more,” Belle continued. 

“Absolutely not,” Rumplestiltskin responded immediately. To which Belle’s eyes narrowed. After a moment of continuing a glaring match with Belle, he reluctantly snapped his fingers.

“And your final request?” he asked, irritated.

“You will not touch my child without my permission,” Belle said. She pulled Lacey out as she said this. She was hoping it would distract him into agreeing. His eyes were thin slits at this point.

“And what do I get out of this? It seems rather unfair, you get five demands, one of which is particularly cruel to me, and all I get is you and the child coming back to my Dark Castle,” Rumplestiltskin said tightly. Belle stared at him.

“What else could you possibly want?” she asked. Rumplestiltskin’s lips twisted into a sick grin.

“A wife,” he emphasized. Belle resisted the urge to blush.

“I must apologize, but as I have only given birth about a MONTH ago, it appears that I would rather wait to perform in any wifely duties,” she retorted snidely, causing Rumplestiltskin to all but jerk back in shock. He hadn’t been expecting that. Belle internally prided herself in her ability to shock him so. 

“You will be mine. Forever,” he amended. 

“Isn’t that what the marriage contract stated?” Belle drawled lazily. He glared at her.

“Fine. I will agree to not touch your child and uphold the other promises if you and the child come with me and swear not to run away,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“Belle, don’t do this,” Milah begged. Belle turned to the woman and hugged her tightly, carefully minding the baby.

“You two have been like a family to me. I wish I could stay with you. But this is what I must do,” Belle told the woman. Milah hugged her once more before Belle turned to her men, offering each of them a sad smile.

“I wish I could continue to help you. I hope you can find someone else to use the bow,” she told them. The men all smiled sadly and nodded to her. She finally turned to Rumplestiltskin.

“Deal,” she said. He giggled impishly before they were swept up in a cloud of smoke. 

Belle was grateful she’d been given the chance to say goodbye to her friends before agreeing to the deal. 

“Mama?” Bae asked, rushing down the stairs. He nearly tackled her to the ground, causing Lacey to cry out indignantly. The sound caused Rose to appear as well, hugging Belle as if her life depended on it. Bae pulled back to look down at Lacey, tears in his eyes. Belle hesitantly offered the baby to Bae who took her and rocked her gently. 

“We tried to find you. We were looking for you,” Bae said.

“We?” Belle asked her son, absently stroking his hair with one hand and Rose’s hair with the other.

“Me and Emma and Charming. We found Red and Snow but that’s as far as we got,” Bae explained. Belle jumped.

“So they made it to safety?” Belle asked. Bae nodded. Belle let out a sigh of relief. 

Rumplestiltskin had moved closer as they had talked. His hand had absently went out to pat Rose’s hair but was stopped. He froze, staring at Belle.

“What did you do?” he asked, his voice sounding strangled. Belle couldn’t suppress the smile that flitted onto her lips.

“You swore you would not touch my child without my permission. Rose is also my child,” Belle said. Rumplestiltskin’s expression turned murderous in an instant. 

“You tricked me!” he roared. Belle pulled her children tighter. Lacey began to cry. It was the first time the child had cried since she was born.

“I merely worded my requests in a way I knew would benefit me,” Belle said calmly.

She was not expecting the slap that knocked her to the ground.

She was grateful that Lacey had been in Bae’s arms and that, by some miracle, she had not pulled the children down with her. 

“Do to me what you’d like, but know you cannot, will not, touch my children. Ever,” Belle swore. Rumplestiltskin turned to Bae and immediately touched the boy’s shoulder. Apart from Bae’s wince, nothing happened. Belle’s heart sank.

“Apparently magic has decided Bae’s not your child then,” Rumplestiltskin said gleefully. Rumplestiltskin grabbed her arm and hoisted Belle up, dragging her after him. 

He drug her down the stairs to the dungeon, a place Belle knew much too well. She was tossed into a cell that was next to the one she had previously been locked in. This one had bars for the door instead of a wooden door like her previous cell. The door was locked behind her.

He was gone without another word.

And Belle was once more a prisoner of the Dark Castle.


	12. Chapter 12

Bae:

 

He stared in horror as Rumplestiltskin came back to the room, Mama not in hands. Lacey was still crying in his arms, and nothing he could do would stop her. Ignoring Rumplestiltskin, he hurried down the stairs to the dungeon. When he got there, he quickly handed Lacey to Belle through the bars. The baby latched onto Belle and stopped crying. Belle turned slightly from him to start to feed the baby. 

“He captured you too,” Bae whispered sadly. Belle smiled brokenly at him.

“He did, but at least I got something out of it. And I got to see you and Rose again,” she whispered. Bae moved close to the bars, hugging his mother through them. 

“So…Robin Hood?” Bae asked, trying to lighten the mood. Belle nodded.

“I was Robin Hood, yes. It was so amazing, Bae, to be able to liberate people, to have people look at me and not see someone beneath them,” Belle said quietly. 

“And you gave it all up to see us?” Bae asked, feeling a sting in his gut. Once more, he had ruined his Mama’s life. 

Belle took in a sharp breath.

“I know that face. Bae, I was coming for you two anyway. This is not your fault,” Belle told the boy, emphasizing her words. Bae couldn’t shake the guilt. He knew she would try to talk him out of it, but it was still going to remain there. And he didn’t know how long he would have before Rumplestiltskin would come and drag him away.

“How long were you here? In the dungeons?” Bae asked, changing the subject. Belle’s face shattered at his words. She quickly tried to recover, but Bae could see the damage.

“Oh Mama. How long?” Bae asked softly. 

“I don’t know. Too long. Much too long,” Belle told the boy. The words didn’t help Bae. Lacey finished eating and Belle pulled her out, burping the tiny child carefully. As soon as she had, she handed the already almost asleep baby back to him. Bae tried to shove the infant back into his mother’s arms, but she refused.

“It’s much too cold down here for her. Please. Keep her upstairs. You remember how to take care of a baby?” Belle asked. Bae nodded hesitantly. 

“Good. Just….please bring her down often. And to eat. Don’t let her drink anything he gives you,” Belle begged. Bae nodded without thought.

“Never. I’ll send Rose down with a few blankets for you. How often does she get hungry?” Bae asked, eyeing the baby.

“Every three to four hours,” Belle said before she yawned. His Mama was exhausted. Bae quickly shrugged out of his cloak, thrusting it through the bars at her.

“Here. Take this. It’s too cold. Rose’ll bring you blankets in a few minutes and then you can sleep,” Bae told her. Belle nodded, heavy eyes lingering on Lacey as Bae slowly turned. 

He trudged up the stairs, wishing harder than anything else that he could find a way to free his mama and his sister from Rumplestiltskin, and keep his newest sister from being touched by his evil. 

When he locked himself in his room, he realized there was a bluish glow. He spun around quickly to see a blue fairy in the room.

“I can help you,” she whispered. Bae’s eyes widened.

“How did you get in here? Rumplestiltskin’ll kill you!” Bae breathed. She put a finger to her lips.

“Which is why I’ll be quick. I have something that can help you and your family. I have the start to a magical bean. It will take a few months to grow, but if you take care of it, it’ll grow into a magical bean. The magical bean can take you away, to a land with no magic. You can take your family there. But, unfortunately, it will cost you something,” she said, handing him the tiny seed. Bae took it carefully, mindful of the sleeping Lacey in his arms.

“The portal will only stay open for thirty seconds. And once you pass through, you will lose all memories of any people you’ve met here, outside of your family. You will remember the land, your home, the events, but not the people. You will all still remember each other, but any other memories will disappear,” the blue fairy said sadly.

“Why are you doing this?” Bae asked, almost in shock.

“I swore to help your mother when she was accepted into King Midas’s family. She will remember them as well, since they have become her family also. I must leave. Don’t let Rumplestiltskin know the plan,” she said, quickly disappearing. 

Bae tucked the start into a little pot of dirt he had in his room, where his sister had given him a flower a few weeks back, not realizing that the flower needed roots to live. He tucked it under his bed before heading downstairs to find Rose, a small, hopeful smile on his face.

He was going to be able to save his family.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

Bae came down from his room carrying the child. Rumplestiltskin felt an ache inside of him at the sight. He longed to hold the child that was by blood his own. Bae walked to Rose and told the girl to bring blankets down to Belle. 

Rumplestiltskin felt the slightest bit of remorse. The dungeons were dreadfully drafty, he was sure. But he had to make a point. Unless she took back the portion about him being allowed to touch the children, he would not let her leave the dungeon. 

As soon as Rose left the room, Bae spun on him.

“You really are a bastard, you know that?” Bae asked calmly. The baby was waking up. Lacey. His Lacey. 

“Oh?” Rumplestiltskin said with a giggle, trying to detach himself. If he didn’t, he may rage. And he didn’t want to accidentally harm the child in any way.

“Yeah. You really are. You just locked my Mama away in the same area she spent God knows how many months locked in. On top of that, Rose now has to see her mother behind bars. Poor child already watched the man she considered her father turn into an impish beast. Now she has to watch her mother slowly waste away in the castle dungeon,” Bae said angrily. Lacey started to cry in his arms. Rumplestiltskin moved closer instinctively, causing Bae to step back. The boy rocked Lacey in his arms, murmuring sweet nothings into her ears.

He had never got to hold his son like that. And now, he wouldn’t get to hold his daughter either.

And he saw red.

“You want to know what is truly beastly? The fact that I’ve been cheated out of raising my first son and now will be forced to watch my daughter grow up, alongside my other daughter, and not be able to hold them. I did everything for you children and Belle. Everything. And what did I get? Nothing. She can rot down there! Until I am allowed to hold MY children, she will not leave that dungeon!” Rumplestiltskin roared. 

Lacey was crying extremely loud by that point. Rumplestiltskin, when the red faded, wished he could take it back, if not for Bae’s sake, but for Lacey’s. He had frightened the poor child. Rose appeared right in front of them, causing Lacey to squeak. Rose tugged the child from Bae’s frantic arms, nearly dropping her. Bae quickly pulled Rose to the floor, showing her how to hold the girl.

Lacey all but stopped crying at the sight of Rose. She looked so much like her mother. 

“Sh. It’s okay Lacey. You’re safe. Papa won’t hurt you. He loves us,” Rose reassured the girl. Rumplestiltskin refrained from smiling at the girl’s words. Rose still loved him. Despite everything, Rose loved him.

That was almost enough for him. It was enough to hold onto the shred of his humanity, albeit how small that shred was. If it wasn’t for Rose’s love, he would have lost himself to the Dark One in the beginning.

He turned briskly from them, stomping his way down to the dungeon, fury mounting with each step. When he got to the bottom, he threw himself against the bars of her cell. 

And his anger just…dissipated. 

He didn’t know where it went, but it faded. She was asleep, shivering, surrounded by the blankets Rose had just brought down. He couldn’t feel the cold. He couldn’t feel much anymore. But he did feel something stirring inside of him. Guilt. 

He settled himself down onto a conjured chair, watching her sleep. She was different than she was before. But so was he. They were both different. 

It wasn’t long before she woke up. She woke up quickly, as if sensing he was there. She shot out of the bed, eyes scanning the room. When they landed on him, she pulled the blankets tighter, glaring at him openly. 

“What do you want?” she asked, irritated. Rumplestiltskin tilted his head, staring at her.

“You changed, dearie,” he observed. She tilted her head, mimicking him. Mocking him.

“You’ve changed as well, dearie,” she shot back. He hid the scowl that tried to form on his lips. 

“Don’t you like it? Shimmery skin is the newest fad,” he said with a giggle, spinning around for her. When his eyes landed back on her, he realized his little twirling had the opposite effect. He had expected it to disgust her, but she seemed to be holding in laughter. 

“I daresay you wear it in a way few have worn it before,” she shot back with a straight face. 

“And you seem to have taken on a new identity as well. To think, before we were King Rumplestiltskin and Belle, and now look at us. The Dark One and Robin Hood,” he said wryly. The happy look that had almost manifested on her face slid off at his words. 

“Some of us had to adapt to survive,” she all but hissed at him. He observed how her body seemed to recoil, curling in on itself to shut him out. So the Belle he’d known was still there, somewhere. 

That was all he needed to know.

“Nevertheless, dearie, I have a deal for you,” he trilled, trying to hide his inner triumph. 

“I don’t feel like making any deals with you,” she retorted.

“Ah ah ah. But I do. And if I do, it goes,” he said, his voice going high as he did. Fury lit up her eyes. Belle stood, dropping the blanket. She made her way to the bars, gripping them as if they were there to help her instead of hinder her.

“Does it now? You know what I’d like? I’d like for you to go to hell,” Belle spat at him. Rumplestiltskin threw himself from the chair. His face was inches from hers as he gripped the bars as well.

“I’m already there, dearie,” he spat. Belle, instead of moving back as he had expected her to, moved even closer, her gaze defiant. 

“You mentioned a deal. So I still have something the mighty Dark One wants,” she mused coyly. 

“I want my children,” he hissed, his anger returning from before. 

“Funny. I want my children too. So I’m keeping them. If staying here until I die is the price I pay to keep them safe from you, so be it,” she responded vehemently. 

He had no control over his next actions.

One moment, he was glaring back at her, and the next he was attacking her with his lips. 

His hands had clasped her hands, pulling her so she couldn’t pull back. The bars were pesky. It took nothing to move them slightly apart, wide enough for his head and hers to fit through. She struggled against him only for a moment before thrusting herself at him with the same amount of violence that he pushed at her.

It was not a kiss of love. On the contrary, it was kiss of nothing but hatred. And hatred they poured into each other, viciously pushing at one another. She managed to get one of her hands from his and it immediately found itself around his neck. 

She was trying to suffocate him with one hand. The thought made him chuckle darkly. His hands left hers to grab her waist, pulling her tightly against him. Her other hand made an attempt to wrap itself around his neck, but his magic kept her from her success. 

“Mama, Lacey’s hungry and….what the hell are you doing to her?!” Bae shouted. Rumplestiltskin ripped himself from Belle, spinning around just in time to see Bae miss the next step.

It was as if he was watching it happen in slow motion. He couldn’t catch Lacey. The magic of Belle’s deal would prevent it. Bae’s head slammed into the wall faster than Rumplestiltskin could react. The only thing he could think of doing was magicking Bae’s currently unconscious body under where Lacey was landing. He magicked a pillow under Bae’s head before it hit the ground and another two pillows on top of him to soften Lacey’s fall even more. 

The moment she hit the pillows, Lacey began crying loudly. He took a quick step forward but was thrown off balance when Belle rushed past him. Rumplestiltskin whirled around, glancing at the door. It was still locked. But the bars he had rearranged so he could sexually assault her….she’d slipped right through them. 

Fury ripped through him, but stopped when he noticed Belle holding Lacey to her, whispering to her even as she felt around at Bae’s head, seeing for any damage. Her hand came back bloody. Rumplestiltskin knelt next to her, his hand hovering over Bae’s head. His magic healed the boy but he remained unconscious. No, sleeping.

Unconscious was bad. Sleeping was healthy.

That’s how he saw it, anyways. 

“I’m willing to compromise, dearie,” Rumplestiltskin said, eyes still on Bae, scanning the boy for any other injuries.

“Talk,” she said stiffly, but he could tell what had happened had shaken her immensely.

“If something is happening, emergency-wise, such as this, to either child, I have automatic permission to save them,” he said. She nodded.

“As long as you do not cause the accident. No getting around that,” she said bitingly. 

“I want an hour each day with Rose and an hour with Lacey,” Rumplestiltskin said. It was a poor compromise in his opinion. Very poor.

“No. Not with both,” she immediately countered.

“Forty-five minutes with Rose, an hour with Lacey,” he altered slightly. He wasn’t going any lower.

“I have to be in the room,” she added.

“No. With Rose I can be alone with her,” he said instantly. Belle’s face darkened.

“And what do I get from this?” she asked lowly.

“I’ll let you out of the dungeon. God knows this place can’t have too many pleasant memories for you, can it?” he asked. Her expression darkened even more, if that was possible.

“Clarify letting me out of the dungeon,” she said, her voice even. 

“You’ll be allowed to roam most of the castle,” he said. 

“Deal,” she said, jutting her chin out slightly. Rumplestiltskin stood, magicking Bae to his room. He grabbed Belle by her arm and dragged her up the stairs. He was more gentle than he had been before.

“Feed her so I can have my hour with her first,” he ordered. Belle waited until they had stopped walking and sat in a chair, tucking the child under her shirt. She watched him carefully as she fed the child.

Rose came running down the stairs, eyes wide in horror.

“Papa, something’s wrong with Bae!” she cried. When she saw Belle out of the dungeon, she magicked herself right in front of Belle. She launched herself at Belle, causing Lacey to cry out in protest.

“Mama!” she cried happily.

“Bae’s fine. He tripped,” Rumplestiltskin said, slightly miffed that she had ignored him the moment her eyes rested on Belle. 

“Why are you out?” Rose asked suddenly, eyes turning to Papa.

“Did you let her out for good?” she asked excitedly. 

“I traded with her. I get to hold you for forty-five minutes a day and Lacey for an hour a day and she’s out of the dungeon,” he told her, feeling slightly giddy at the knowledge. The moment the words left his lips, Rose ripped herself from Belle and all but tackled Rumplestiltskin. He lifted the girl, hugging her closely, running his fingers through the girl’s unruly curls.

“You didn’t brush your hair today. Why not?” he asked sternly. The girl giggled into his shoulder. Belle was not happy. She seemed confused. She was staring at them, almost sadly at her girl and hurt directed towards him. 

“But when I don’t brush my hair, you do for me,” Rose said happily. Rumplestiltskin sighed and sat down, turning Rose around so she sat facing away from him. He ran his fingers through her hair gently, tugging out the knots in the curls. 

Belle finished feeding Lacey and pulled her out, checking what he assumed was a cloth diaper. She looked slightly irritated when she did. He assumed that meant it was full. He waved his free hand, making a new diaper and some wipes appear on her lap next to Lacey. Belle jumped at the appearance, but she said nothing as she laid the baby out on her lap. 

Rumplestiltskin focused on Rose as Belle cleaned Lacey. For half a second he felt like a father, like a father of a family, his family. 

Rose turned around in his lap as soon as his fingers stilled. She wrapped her arms around him tightly.

“I didn’t realize how much I missed hugging you,” she said quietly. He hugged her back as well. He didn’t even protest as her fingers wove themselves through his hair. The Dark One inside of him fumed at the action, but not even the Dark One could tell Rose no when it came to what she wanted. 

That was one of the first things he discovered. Despite the Dark One’s control, Rose had more. Whatever Rose wanted, she got. 

Even the Dark One agreed with that philosophy. 

All too soon, he felt the magic separate the two of them. Rose sighed, her bottom lip quivering as she climbed off of his lap, the lap she was now slightly hovering over. She padded over to her mom, climbing into her lap. Rumplestiltskin reached out for Lacey. Belle reluctantly allowed him to take her from his arms. He sat back down in his chair, staring down at Lacey.

She had his eyes. And his nose, he noted wryly. But he could already see that her hair was going to be just like her mother’s hair. The hair wasn’t long, but it was unmistakably the same color as hers. 

He rocked the child, noticing how her eyes stared into his with fire. He almost chuckled. She was going to be a spitfire. He could tell. And he couldn’t wait to watch her grow up. 

 

Regina:

Nothing was going right. Everything had completely fallen to pieces around her. If she hadn’t had Henry, she didn’t know what she would do. 

If only her mother hadn’t come back from…wherever she had been. Daniel was gone now, all because of her mother. Her father had also been killed in Cora’s rage. She was so glad Henry hadn’t been nearby when it’d happened. 

Still, whatever had happened, it had to do with Snow White. When Regina had asked Cora how she had gotten there, she said something vague about Snow White. That infuriated Regina. 

When Maleficent suggested she create a curse, a curse to end this world and throw them into a place she could have her own happy ending, she had hesitated. She could still be happy there, she believed. She had Henry. And Henry loved her. As long as Henry loved her, everything was fine. 

So she had turned Maleficent down. But something in Maleficent’s expression told her that she wasn’t too disappointed.

Maleficent was planning something. And Regina wanted nothing to do with it.

 

Maleficent:

She left Regina’s castle, irritated but otherwise not deterred. It would have been easier if Regina had agreed to cast the curse, but it didn’t matter. There was still Anna.

She knew Anna would agree to cast the curse. Anna had enough hatred in her. She just would have rather had Regina cast it. Maleficent felt she would have had a better place in the new world, had Regina cast it.

Hell, Maleficent herself would have cast it, had she had someone or something she loved. The Seer had been very clear that she could not cast this herself. The curse would require two sacrifices of things one loved most. Two. Maleficent didn’t even have one. Anna, on the other hand, had two parents. 

She knew now that she just had to wait. The Seer had explained patiently that this would be a long ordeal, if she wanted to go through with it. She had to wait for Rumplestiltskin’s accident to happen so she could go to him to create the curse. Only Rumplestiltskin could create a curse so dark, and the only way he would do something like that would be if he lost the last of what he cared about. His family.

She grinned as she thought about it. In this new land, she would be able to punish Aurora, Philip, and Belle to her heart’s content. The first step was oh so exciting. She hadn’t realized impersonating the Blue Fairy could be so much fun. The boy had ate her words up. Now, in a few months, she could move on with her plans. 

She magicked herself into Avonlea’s castle, resting in the chair in Anna’s room.

Yes, her plans were going to be magnificent. And although it may take years to accomplish, she would finally be able to avenge Adam’s death properly.


	13. Chapter 13

Belle

If she had had expectations for what Rumplestiltskin would do when he got the right to hold Lacey for the first time, they had been shattered. The man stared down at her as if she were the most precious thing on the face of the planet.

And she was. To Belle. But she shouldn’t have been for him. 

Rose crawled into her lap, happily running her fingers through Belle’s hair.

“Mama, are we going to be a happy family again?” she asked. Belle didn’t know how to respond. So she didn’t. She remained quiet, eyes on Lacey. 

Bae stumbled down the stairs not long into Rumplestiltskin’s time with Lacey. His eyes narrowed on Rumplestiltskin before he was even down the stairs. He hurried to Belle’s side, still glaring at Rumplestiltskin.

“What is he doing with her?” Bae hissed. Belle shook her head.

“New deal,” Belle murmured. Bae gently pushed her over in the chair, squeezing himself in the chair next to her. 

The moment he sat down, there was a sudden flash in the center of the room. A girl appeared, a girl in between Bae’s age and Belle’s age. She had a nasty scar across her face, no eyes present. Her hair was a messy shock of red. When Rumplestiltskin saw her, he jumped to his feet, still cradling Lacey.

“You! What are you doing here?” he hissed angrily. Belle stood carefully, Rose tucked in her arms. Bae took a half step in front of her. 

“You were so interested in your future last time. I thought I’d stop by and tell you some new news,” she said, a twisted smile on her lips. 

“Who is this?” Bae asked, his voice low.

“A seer. I met her years ago,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“And what I told you came true, didn’t it?” she asked smugly.

“What did she say?” Belle asked. 

“It was a few years after I lost Bae. She told me I would find my son again,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“And you did,” she pointed out.

“You forgot to mention it would take over ten years!” Rumplestiltskin all but roared, causing Lacey to cry out in surprise. He shushed her, rocking her gently. 

“You never asked for details,” she said. Her expression changed then.

“But this is important. I have seen the future. I looked for it, a year ago, when the previous Dark One consulted me as he had before. But it was never set in stone. Until now,” she said.

“What’s set in stone?” Rose questioned, eyes wide. The seer turned to Rose.

“Rumplestiltskin will create a curse. A dark, powerful curse, one that will destroy this world and take everyone to a horrible place, where no one will have a happy ending,” the seer said, opening her hands as she spoke. Two blue eyes appeared in the palms of her hands. Belle tried shielding Rose’s eyes from the sight, but Rose was captivated.

“Why would I do something like that?” Rumplestiltskin scoffed, but Belle could see that there was a sense of horror in his expression.

“For revenge. Maleficent and Anna will do something so horrible to you, so cruel, that it will destroy you in your quest for revenge,” the seer stated once more. 

“I don’t believe you,” Rumplestiltskin said stubbornly. The seer shook her head.

“You didn’t last time either. When you see the blue light, it’ll all be clear,” she said before another flash of light shuddered through the room. 

 

Three Months Later:

Time flew. Rumplestiltskin left occasionally to do deals, but no one ever set foot in the castle. Belle busied herself cleaning when she got bored. Lacey was growing fast, and Rose was becoming more mischievous with each day. Bae seemed to withdraw himself from everyone, something that worried Belle immensely. She didn’t know what was going on in her son’s head, but it worried her.

Rumplestiltskin was…different. Not what she had been expecting. When he had allowed her out of the dungeon, she had half been expecting him to tell her she would be forced to sleep in his bed, but he had not once forced himself on her. 

It confused her. She had heard so much of the Dark One, of Rumplestiltskin’s dark side, and the fact that he was controlling it unsettled her. She was in uncharted waters. 

Still, she could tell he was trying to be good. That in itself confused her. He was fighting against his very being, and it filled her with some emotion she wasn’t too sure of. It scared her. 

She was sitting in the library, holding Lacey, when Bae rushed in, cloak on, shoes laced up, backpack slung over his shoulder. He was holding her cloak and shoes as well.

“Mama! Come on! We have to hurry! The Dark One’s gone!” he said, pulling her to her feet. Rose was being him, rubbing her eyes. She had just been laid down for her nap. Belle, confused, did as Bae said.

“What’s going on?” Belle asked, but Bae just drug her and Rose down the stairs and out of the castle. Belle stopped in her tracks.

“Bae, I swore I’d never leave,” Belle said. Bae shook his head, using force to drag her.

“Hurry! We don’t have much time!” he cried. He finally pulled them into the woods. The sky was dark. It looked like it would start raining at any moment. He pulled them deep into the woods before stopping and pulling a clear bean from his pocket.

“Baelfire, you have to tell me what’s going on right now!” Belle ordered. 

“The Blue Fairy gave me this. We can get away. To a place where we will be safe, a place The Dark One can’t get us. We can be a family again,” Bae said. 

“No! I want Papa!” Rose cried, suddenly awake. She gripped Belle tightly. Bae pulled Lacey from Belle’s arms so Belle could pick Rose up. However, Rose didn’t want to stay in her arms. She climbed down quickly.

“Bae, you can’t do that. I don’t think you’ve thought this through,” Belle said cautiously. Bae shook his head, eyes wide.

“No. Mama, I have. The bean’s been ready for two weeks. I’ve thought it through. The Dark One hasn’t changed one bit,” Bae said. 

“Yes. Bae, he has been changing. It’s slow, but he has,” Belle begged the boy. It wasn’t that she cared about Rumplestiltskin. She didn’t. But Rose. Rose looked tore apart. Utterly decimated. She loved Rumplestiltskin as much as she loved Belle. And Belle was not about to rip that from her child, not when she saw Rumplestiltskin was fighting for her. For them. 

“What’s going on?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Belle spun around. Bae cursed. Belle turned to lecture him when she saw the bean fall from his hands. Bae lunged for Rose, gripping the girl tightly. The bean hit the ground, creating a swirling blue portal. Belle grabbed Bae’s arm. She felt someone grab her arm as well. Rumplestiltskin. 

“Come on Mama! We have to go! We have thirty seconds!” Bae cried. 

“No! Bae, we can’t!” Belle cried, trying to pull him back. Rose slid from his hand, gripping his foot tightly. Her eyes were squeezed shut in horror. Bae’s free hand shot up to grab Belle’s hand, the hand that was holding his arm. She held it tightly before glancing at Rumplestiltskin. The man had a look of pure horror on his face as well.

“Hurry! We have to pull them up!” Belle cried. Rumplestiltskin pulled back tightly, but the grip made Belle lose her grip on Bae. His eyes widened as their fingers slid out of one another’s. Rumplestiltskin lunged forward as Bae fell through the portal. 

Belle fell backwards into the dirt as the portal closed. Rumplestiltskin collapsed over the ground where the portal once was. 

Belle stared blankly at the ground for a moment before her eyes welled up with tears. Rumplestiltskin cursed angrily, kicking the ground before sinking back to his knees. 

“Where did they go?” he asked angrily. Belle shook her head, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.

“Bae said the Blue Fairy gave him the bean. That it would take us to a place where there was no Dark One to harm us,” Belle said quietly. She had just gotten her children back, only to lose them again. She bit back a sob, but couldn’t stop her shoulders from shaking from her trembling.

Rumplestiltskin tentatively wrapped his arms around Belle. Belle pulled him closer to her, fearing she would fall apart if she didn’t have something to cling to. 

“Lacey. How will Bae take care of Lacey? He’s only fifteen. And now he has to take care of a five year old and an infant?” Belle sobbed. 

“I’ll find them. We’ll get them back. I promise,” Rumplestiltskin said quietly. 

“The Blue Fairy. Summon the Blue Fairy,” Belle said suddenly, pulling back. It didn’t take but a second for the Blue Fairy to appear. 

“What happened to you?” she cried, staring at Belle in dismay. Belle shook her head, ignoring the tears that were still streaming down her face.

“You gave a bean to Bae. A bean that took him and Rose and Lacey to another place. We need one,” Belle begged. The Blue Fairy frowned.

“I didn’t give Bae anything,” she said slowly. Belle shook her head.

“No! Bae just said you gave it to him! He wouldn’t lie about that!” Belle shouted. Rumplestiltskin’s grip on her tightened. She could practically feel the fury rolling off of him in waves.

“I’ve never met Bae,” the Blue Fairy stated, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

“That’s because it was me,” a voice said from behind them. Belle and Rumplestiltskin spun to see Maleficent leaning against a tree, a triumphant smirk on her face.

“You impersonated me to give a boy something that would rip him from his family?” the Blue Fairy asked in disbelief. Maleficent laughed maliciously.

“Of course. He wouldn’t have taken it from me, now would he?” Maleficent taunted. 

“This was all to get back at me, wasn’t it? For helping Philip and Mulan find Aurora?” Belle asked slowly, her tears drying up as they were replaced with fury. Maleficent released a hollow laugh.

“Oh darling, this is only the beginning. I can make you two a deal, however. I need a certain…curse…created. If you do this, I’ve got someone who will enact the curse and you’ll be taken to the land your children were just sent to. After all, it’s the only way to get there,” Maleficent said as she examined her fingernails. 

“And who is going to enact such a curse? I know what kind of curse you’re talking about. Who would be willing to kill two people they love the most?” Rumplestiltskin scoffed. Belle glanced at him, almost confused. The seer’s words. He must’ve thought about it, thought about it enough to have figured out the cost of such magic. The thought of that made her uneasy. 

“I’m sure Anna would love to get her revenge and find happiness,” Maleficent laughed. 

“Done. It’ll take awhile. Maybe a year or two. But it’ll be done,” Rumplestiltskin said shortly. Maleficent’s laughing ceased.

“What?” she asked, confused. 

“I said it’d get done. Now you can go. Deliver the message,” he said impatiently. Maleficent glared at him, almost confused at his easy acceptance. The moment she disappeared, Rumplestiltskin turned to the Blue Fairy.

“You’re coming to the castle with us. Now,” he ordered before he and Belle disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The Blue Fairy appeared as well.

“What did you just agree to do?” she asked, her expression full of worry.

“Create a curse that will destroy this world and bring us to a place we will all be miserable,” Rumplestiltskin stated, hurrying to a shelf to pull a book or two from the shelf. He started skimming them quickly, tossing them at Belle who barely caught them. 

“Absolutely not!” the Blue Fairy said. Rumplestiltskin shot her a glare.

“Dearie, you have no say in the matters. But since Maleficent picked someone as stupid as Anna to cast this curse, we can work it to our advantage. I’m creating the curse, and I can throw in as many loopholes as I want. And I plan on milking it for all it’s worth. She won’t know what hit her,” Rumplestiltskin said darkly as he opened some paper and started scribbling words down.

“She wants a word where the only happy ending is hers. I can give her that. She can be locked up and on drugs that make her happy. She doesn’t need to know the specifics. I can designate everything, as long as no one is truly happy. And I can designate a curse-breaker,” Rumplestiltskin said. 

“Why do you need my help?” the Blue Fairy said. Rumplestiltskin spun on her.

“Because I know there’s another way to the other world. But I also know there’s no way Belle and I will be able to take it. Send Emma. Emma’s the only person I know who, besides us, could possibly find Bae. She can find Bae for us and bring them to where we are, and from there break the curse,” Rumplestiltskin said. 

“How do you expect me to do that?” the Blue Fairy asked in disbelief. Rumplestiltskin shot her a glare. 

“Figure it out, dearie. Tell the Charmings I need them to arrive here immediately. While you’re at it, get Regina and Midas. I’m sure they will also want to be involved,” Rumplestiltskin said dismissively. The Blue Fairy disappeared and the moment she did, Rumplestiltskin sank against the table. 

“The damned Seer was right. Again,” he muttered angrily. Belle moved closer to him, tentatively putting her arms around him like he had done for her. 

“We’ll get them back. Emma will find Bae,” Belle promised. 

“But what about until then? It may be years before we get them back. What do we do until then?” Rumplestiltskin asked. For a moment, Belle could see weakness. Belle could see vulnerability peeking out. 

“Bae is smart. He’ll manage,” Belle promised, but she was worrying about the same things. 

The ache in her chest still hadn’t dimmed.

 

Bae:

The appeared in the middle of the woods. 

“Mama?” Bae asked, glancing around. Lacey was in his arms, crying. Rose was next to them. His memories were fuzzy. He remembered his mama, and he remembered his papa. He remembered his world. But he couldn’t remember anyone else.

All he could see was the image of Rumplestiltskin pulling his Mama from him, ripping his Mama away from them. 

A light hit him, causing him to blink rapidly.

“Oh my God, where did you three come from? Greg, call 911! There’s children out here!” a woman cried. Bae blinked a few more times, finally seeing the woman. She rushed towards them.

“Where did you come from? Where are your parents? Are you okay?” she asked rapidly. Bae shook his head.

“I don’t know. I don’t know where they are. Or where we are. I…I think I hit my head,” Bae lied. Rose was silent, and for that he was grateful. 

The woman helped Rose to her feet and tugged them with her.

She brought them to a man who was already in a strange looking carriage.

“Did you call?” she asked. He shook his head.

“We can drive them ourselves, Tamara. Where did they come from? No one was supposed to be out here,” the man the woman had called Greg said. 

“I think our Papa abandoned us. He didn’t like us,” Bae supplied. The two stared at each other before back at him.

“It’s a good thing we found you when we did. The whole area was about to be set on fire,” Tamara said. Bae’s eyes widened.

“Why?” he asked.

“The grounds have been…contaminated, I guess you can say. Let’s get you to a hospital,” she said. The carriage started moving really fast, causing Rose to whimper. Lacey had stopped crying, but was hiccupping. 

They pulled up outside a large white building. The two ushered the children in, where people in white cloaks poked and prodded the three children. They were surrounded my things they’d never seen before. Finally, the men who Tamara called doctors, stopped.

“It looks like they have some sort of memory problems. They don’t seem to remember anything to do with technology, which makes me think they damaged their memory. Are you the parents?” the doctor asked, but Bae could tell the doctor didn’t believe that. Tamara shook her head.

“No. We found them in the woods. I think they were abandoned,” she said.

“We can place them in the foster system then. They may end up being separated though,” the doctor said.

“NO! Please don’t separate us!” Bae protested suddenly. The doctor and Tamara looked up at him.

“How old are you?” the doctor asked. Bae hesitated for a moment. He wasn’t sure what the age was in this land for being an adult. 

“Fifteen,” he finally admitted truthfully.

“She’s five, and she’s a few months,” Bae continued. The doctor nodded.

“You’d have to wait and talk to the social worker, but you may be able to gain custody of them when you turn eighteen, if you get a decent job,” the doctor said hesitantly. His words made no sense to Bae, but he nodded nonetheless. 

“Thanks for the help. We’ll take care of it from here,” the doctor told Tamara and Greg. Tamara bent down so she was eyelevel with Bae.

“Here’s my number. If you ever need anything, let me know,” she told him with a smile. Bae nodded, holding the paper carefully. He didn’t know what a number was, but he figured it was important. 

It wasn’t until they were in the car with some strange lady that Bae noticed something odd. Rose’s hair, that had once been brown just like their mother’s, had large golden streaks in it now. He quickly stroked the hair, only for his eyes to widen. 

Part of her hair had turned to fine strands of gold, gold just like the gold his father had spun from straw. 

He remembered that his backpack, still on his backpack, had gold in it as well. He would save that. One day, he would use it to make sure his sisters would stay with him. And until then, he was going to make sure no one realized that his sister had gold growing from her. 

“What’s your names, sweetie?” the lady asked Bae from the front seat. He had been listening and reading names at the hospital. 

“Neal. Neal…Gold. This is my sister, Rose Gold, and Lacey Gold,” Bae said immediately. The name was the only thing he could think of. Two of the male nurses’ name tags read Neal. And it seemed pretty common. Gold would have to do for a last name. The lady said nothing but kept watching ahead.

Bae felt unease in the pit of his stomach. This was going to be an adventure. An adventure he didn’t want to face without his Mama.


	14. Chapter 14

Rumplestiltskin:

Everyone was there. They were sitting in a room Rumplestiltskin rarely used, a ballroom. A large round table had been rolled out into the center. Rumplestiltskin had, after a moment of decision, perched himself on top of his chair so he could look down at everyone. Next to him sat Belle.

Also at the table was Charming and Snow, Midas and Regina, the Blue Fairy, Sean and Cinderella, a dwarf named Grumpy, a cricket named Jiminy Cricket, and an older man introduced as Gepetto. The Charmings had brought most of the people with, reassuring him and Belle that they would be helpful. 

Gepetto’s son, which Belle seemed to know somehow, was in a room upstairs with Alexandra (Cinderella’s daughter), Henry, and Emma. 

“Why exactly are we here? The Blue Fairy said it was urgent?” Charming asked, immediately getting to the point. Belle glanced up at Rumplestiltskin before turning to the table.

“Rumplestiltskin has agreed to create a Dark Curse that will destroy this land and bring us to a place where none of us have happy endings. He, however, has the ability to create loopholes in this curse,” Belle explained. The others nodded, but none looked overly happy.

“What exactly are you planning on doing?” Regina asked.

“Well, the only person who is to be happy is Anna, who will cast the curse. So she will be locked in a mental asylum where she’s on happy drugs all the time. She’ll be happy,” Rumplestiltskin said with a malicious smirk. Regina’s lips curled into a smile.

“What about Maleficent?” Belle asked, her voice hollow. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“We’ll trap her in her dragon form, underground, where she is asleep and can’t do anything,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“What about the rest of us? What are our unhappy endings?” Charming asked. Rumplestiltskin shrugged. He had been working day and night outlining everything so it would be ready when they got there.

“Regina, you will be the mayor of the town. You’ll have power over almost everything, but be incredibly lonely. I’m currently trying to see if I can find a way for Henry to escape to the real world without being cursed as well, but if I can’t, he will be your son, but your adopted son. He will be trying to get away from you the whole time. Snow, you will be a lonely school teacher, Charming will in a serious relationship with Abigail, and Midas will be the owner of a local bar but who’s daughter won’t be near him anymore. Miserable, huh?” Rumplestiltskin asked, adding a giggle to the end of it.

“And you? What of you?” Grumpy asked.

“I’ll be rich, the town monster who owns the town but who everyone hates. Belle will be my wife. Obviously, it won’t be happy for her to have to live with me,” Rumplestiltskin said, wishing the last part wasn’t true. But he knew she would be miserable in the new world as well.

“Why are you so willing to do this? What aren’t you telling us?” Snow asked. 

“Where’s Rose and Bae? And the newest who I’ve only heard about?” Regina asked. Belle’s face lost color and emotion. She turned to Rumplestiltskin. It seemed he would have to explain it. 

“We lost them. Maleficent tricked them and sent them to a world without magic. The world we are going to,” Rumplestiltskin said slowly. 

“You said you were going to try to protect Henry as well. Who else is going to escape the curse?” Regina asked.

“Emma. Emma will break the curse,” Belle said, her façade slipping slightly.

“Why Emma?” Snow asked, anxious. 

“Emma is the product of true love. True love can break all curses. Henry, I believe, if I remember correctly, is as well. If we can get both of them out there, the odds of the curse breaking sooner rather than later is higher,” Rumplestiltskin explained, glad for something he could easily explain.

“What about my boy? Pinocchio? He was made from wood. Will the curse turn him back into wood?” Gepetto asked, instantly worried. 

“More than likely. I don’t know how I could get around that, unless you have something else that makes you happy,” Rumplestiltskin said awkwardly.

“No. No, I won’t let that happen,” Belle said instantly, lurching to her feet. Rumplestiltskin stared down at her still.

“Oh? How are we going to get three children out of here? If that was the case, we’d just go ourselves,” Rumplestiltskin asked Belle sarcastically. Belle’s eyes flashed.

“If it weren’t for that boy, no one would have known what Maleficent had done. That boy risked his life for me. I will NOT let him turn to wood!” Belle protested angrily. Rumplestiltskin’s face remained neutral, up until the point Belle took off her shoe and threw it at him with as much force as she could manage.

Rumplestiltskin was easily able to dodge it. His eyes narrowed.

“What makes you think you can just throw things at me without being punished, dearie?” he hissed. Belle moved to take off the second shoe, only stopping once his hands gripped her arms tightly, restraining her. She looked as if she were debating on trying to spit on him. That in itself, just the look, infuriated him.

“And here I thought we were getting along so well,” Rumplestiltskin said sarcastically, allowing the Dark One to slip into his actions. He was hurt beyond means that Belle had such little faith in him still. And he wasn’t about to let that hurt show.

“Enough!” Charming shouted, standing quickly and drawing his sword. Rumplestiltskin giggled at his chivalrous act. 

“As if that sword would stop me,” he trilled. 

“Stop acting like a child so I can get MY children back sooner,” Belle finally spat at him.

“They’re my children too,” Rumplestiltskin snarled back at her. 

“The children you scared off! Why do you think Bae took that bean and grew it? He spent MONTHs growing it. Because he hadn’t seen enough to think you could change,” Belle spat.

“If you do not stop talking I will lock you back in the dungeon once more and curse you to spend the time in the world without magic locked in the cell next to Anna’s!” Rumplestiltskin finally shouted, absolutely furious. 

Belle was silent for a moment. Her silence was cut short by the feel of metal on one of his wrists. Rumplestiltskin glanced down, alarmed.

A handcuff was encircling one of his wrists. The other part of it was on one of Belle’s wrists. Belle was staring down at it with horror akin to his. Both glanced back at the table, where the Blue Fairy’s wand was still in the air.

“What is this?” Rumplestiltskin asked angrily.

“It’s magicked handcuffs. They won’t come off until the two of you can truly get along. We don’t have time for frivolous power struggles,” the Blue Fairy chided. 

Before even Rumplestiltskin’s fury could react, Belle had lunged at the fairy. Consequently, Rumplestiltskin was drug after her.

“You BITCH! Uncuff me from this BASTARD IMMEDIATELY!” Belle roared. 

“Belle! Belle, calm down,” Snow tried. Belle was visibly shaking in anger. She was still glaring at the Blue Fairy.

“A magic tree. Sherwood Forest is rumored to have one or two left. If we find one and fashion it into a vessel, it should be able to transfer up to two children to the other world,” Belle said shortly.

“Sherwood Forest?” Regina asked.

“I’ve never heard of this,” The Blue Fairy said, but she didn’t elaborate or continue with her words when Belle’s dark glare hit her. 

“That’s where I got the tree I carved Pinocchio out of!” Gepetto exclaimed. 

“I believe Sherwood Forest is in the kingdom next to mine, is it not?” King Midas asked. Belle nodded.

“It is. And I have some friends who can help us find a tree.”

 

Bae:

The days were rolling by. Time seemed to move much faster in this new world than it did in his world. Much faster. He could feel the acceleration. 

He had fought long and hard to get Lacey and Rose to stay at the orphanage with him. The people were not overly accommodating, but for the moment they humored him. 

He lied, saying he had just turned sixteen. He wasn’t sure when his birthday was in this world, but he made up a new one. One that made him seem older. At this age, they told him he would be able to get a job if he wanted. And he did want. 

It wasn’t too long after he got a job that Lacey and Rose were moved to a Girl’s Group Home. Bae was told that if he made enough money he could move out of the orphanage. And that he could still visit his sisters.

So work he did. He worked and worked. He traded small amounts of the gold thread at a time to different places to not arouse suspicion. And he did save money. 

It helped that Rose’s hair had gold in it now. He made a deal with the people at the group home. They allowed him to take Rose out to get her haircut and promised they wouldn’t cut it themselves.

So he had a constant supply of gold coming in. But gold wasn’t worth as much as it was in his world. Everything was so different here. 

Rose wasn’t talking to him much. Or anyone else. The girl was depressed. She missed her Mama. So did Lacey. And oh…so did Bae. He missed her so much. Every night when he tried to close his eyes, all he saw was Rumplestiltskin ripping his Mama away from him, away from them as they fell through the blue hole. 

The anger he felt from that was the one thing that fueled him more than anything else. He was reminded of it each and every day when he saw Rose’s forlorn face. Rose should have had her mother there to raise her. 

Still, he worked. Still, he saved.

And one day, he would have the money to support his family. After all, his father had ruined them. He would not have his sisters thinking all men were evil because the one man they had had in their life was not worth the dirt he walked on.

 

Belle:

Everyone retired to the rooms Rumplestiltskin designated for them, leaving her with Rumplestiltskin to stalk up to his magic room and do the best to get rid of the blasted handcuffs.

She was silent as she watched him work. Her previous anger was gone. Any time she got angry, the anger dissipated shortly. 

Now, all she wanted was her children back. She had spent the last fourteen years of her life being defined by her children. Every moment, just shy of the few months she spent as Robin Hood, revolved entirely around her children, with them at her side. Now, they were no longer there.

“What are you thinking about?” Rumplestiltskin asked quietly. His soft tone threw her. He hadn’t used that tone with her since they had lost the children. It was a tone he had reserved for Lacey and Rose. 

“Who am I without them?” Belle found herself asking. The question threw Rumplestiltskin as well.

“Sorry?” he asked.

“I’ve only once been defined without them. And then I was defined by trying to find them. Who am I now?” Belle asked, feeling small with the words. 

Rumplestiltskin’s expression completely fell. He closed the distance between them and folded her into his arms. The gesture made her eyes fill with water. 

“Don’t give up,” Rumplestiltskin soothed. Belle shook her head into his shoulder.

“A land without magic? What if something happens to them before we get there? How long will it take us?” Belle pleaded.

“Years. It could very well take us years. And they will be safe,” Rumplestiltskin swore. Belle lifted her head from his shoulder, wanting to look at him.

He had been leaning down. To kiss her forehead? She wasn’t sure exactly what. But somehow, their lips ended up brushing against each other, purely by accident. The handcuffs clicked off, falling to the ground. Belle glanced at him, eyes wide. 

Rumplestiltskin’s skin was looking….almost normal. Like it did before.

“What’s happening?” Belle breathed, eyes wide. Rumplestiltskin’s own eyes widened. He threw himself backwards, eyes staring at his hands. His skin turned back to the glittery greenish-gold hue it had been since he had came into her life the second time. 

“Don’t do that again!” Rumplestiltskin commanded, his voice rising slightly. 

“Do what? I didn’t do anything!” Belle protested loudly. Rumplestiltskin shook his head, eyes wide, almost…open. She could see a thousand emotions flickering through his eyes. 

“You almost got rid of my magic, dearie. Your kiss almost destroyed our chances at getting the children back,” Rumplestiltskin hissed. 

“My kiss? I just lifted my head!” Belle said in disbelief. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“And didn’t you kiss me before? Why is my kiss changing you now?” Belle added. Rumplestiltskin’s face, had it been normal, would have lost color. It was an open book. 

“You love me now,” he said, his words a whisper.

“What? I don’t love you,” Belle said automatically. She didn’t…right? He was horrible. He was the reason her children were gone.

No.

He wasn’t. And she knew it. And while she found him utterly insufferable….no.

Where did it come from? Where did that odd feeling inside of her come from? It wasn’t there before, not even when he was still human. 

Her face must’ve explained all of her inner conflict. He cursed colorfully and spun.

But stopped.

Turned back around. 

“I need a strand of your hair,” he said. Before she could protest, he had appeared next to her and ripped a strand out. He dropped it into a beaker before pulling out a strand of his own hair and dropping it in there as well. He turned away from her, doing something she couldn’t see.

He cursed again in a few minutes.

“True love. We have true love,” he said. 

“True love? I didn’t think that really existed,” Belle admitted.

“Of course it does. It’s rare. That’s why Emma and Henry can break the curse,” Rumplestiltskin explained, turning around. The beaker in his hands was glowing. The two strands of hair were twirling around each other. 

“What is that?” Belle asked cautiously.

“True love. I bottled it. I can use it for the curse to ensure the way to break it,” Rumplestiltskin said, setting it on his shelf with the other full beakers.

“True love. So you love me?” Belle asked tentatively. Rumplestiltskin didn’t respond, just as she had not. 

“This is just great,” Belle all but moaned into her hands.

“True love can break any curse,” Rumplestiltskin told her.

“Like yours,” Belle said, everything clicking. Rumplestiltskin’s jaw stiffened.

“But I need my curse. I need it to get us to the land without magic,” Rumplestiltskin told her. 

Belle was silent as Rumplestiltskin began working on the curse more. 

“True love. How ironic,” Belle murmured to herself.

“Sorry?” Rumplestiltskin asked from the table.

“It’s ironic. All we ever do is fight and argue and use violence against each other. Is that what true love is?” Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“I don’t know. I’m sure it manifests itself differently in different people. I never would have suspected it though,” Rumplestiltskin stated.

“Does this speed up us getting the children back?” Belle asked, instantly excited. Rumplestiltskin nodded.

“Indeed it does. We may be able to finish within a year,” Rumplestiltskin said with a smile.

 

The next day had them traipsing through the Sherwood Forest. Snow and Charming agreed to come with Rumplestiltskin and Belle. The others opted to stay at the Dark Castle. 

They hadn’t been in the forest long before an arrow hit the tree right above Belle’s head. Belle immediately had an arrow ready on the bow she had brought on the little outing. She let the arrow fly through the air.

A curse was heard. And Belle’s face lit up. She knew that curse. And she knew the curser. 

“Little John, I hope for your sake that Hansel and Gretel aren’t within hearing distance,” Belle called out. She turned to the Charmings and Rumplestiltskin, both who appeared confused. Little John fell into sight, Hansel and Gretel trailing sheepishly behind him. 

Also with him was Red, Gus, Lancelot and Graham. 

“Belle!” Red squealed, rushing over to envelope Belle in a hug. The others did that, all but Little John of whom Belle was glaring at still. He held up his sleeve where the arrow had put a hole in it.

“You don’t just shoot at people in the woods, Little John. Have you forgotten our signal?” Belle lectured him.

“I didn’t think we’d see you again. After all, we thought we’d lost you,” Little John said. His eyes drifted over to Rumplestiltskin.

“I guess asking if you got away from him isn’t the best question,” Little John asked drily. Belle shook her head. 

“Where’s Lacey? I can’t wait to see how big she’s gotten!” Red said excitedly. Her words caused Belle to stiffen.

“That’s why we’re here. Maleficent sent Bae, Rose, and Lacey to a land without magic. We need the last of the enchanted trees,” Belle said awkwardly. 

“WHAT?!” Red shouted, furious. Belle nodded.

“Please tell me there’s some left!” Belle begged. Red turned to Little John.

He hesitated.

“There’s one…only one left. And it’s not a large one,” he admitted. Belle’s face darkened.

“What happened to the others?” she asked authoratively. 

“We lost them. Someone pillaged the woods and chopped them down,” Lancelot explained. 

“Dearie, we’re on a time restraint,” Rumplestiltskin said, his hand gripping Belle’s shoulder tightly. They were not on a time restraint, per se. He just wasn’t happy with…with what, exactly? That was the big question. Belle ignored him. 

“Take Charming with you and chop it down. I want to examine the woods quickly and then we will meet you there and Rumplestiltskin will transfer it back to the Dark Castle,” Belle commanded. Everyone quickly did as she asked, except for Snow and Charming. Both stared at her, almost in awe.

“What?” Belle asked, confused. Snow shook her head.

“You’re a completely different person around them,” Snow said.

“I was their leader for a few months,” Belle said dismissively.

“But you aren’t anymore. Now why don’t the two of you go with them and I’ll walk Belle around the woods,” Rumplestiltskin said possessively. The Charmings did as he asked – albeit unhappily. Belle spun on him.

“What was that?” she demanded.

“What was what?” Rumplestiltskin repeated blankly.

“That! You were acting like some jealous husband!” Belle all but shouted at him. 

Only to realize her words.

“Technically, dearie, I am still your husband. And I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous. Especially with how those men were looking at you,” Rumplestiltskin said. 

“They weren’t looking at me any differently than they ever looked at me,” Belle scoffed.

“I knew I was right to take you from them then,” Rumplestiltskin said triumphantly. 

“You’re insufferable,” Belle said, exasperated.

At that, Rumplestiltskin cracked a tiny, genuine smile. 

“And yet, somehow, you still love me,” he said, but his words held a bit of puzzlement. Belle shook her head.

“It’s a mystery to me too,” she admitted.


	15. Chapter 15

Charming:

The tree wasn’t large at all. He had thought they were jesting when they said it was a small one. But it truly was small. They immediately cut the tree down as close to the ground as possible. It took much effort and they had to catch the tree as it fell to make sure it wasn’t damaged in the process. 

Belle and Rumplestiltskin returned, both seeming almost content. The mood swings the two of them went through in their relationship was giving Charming whiplash. It was much too difficult to keep up with. 

The tree was magicked back to the Dark Castle, as were they. Charming was overly thrilled when night came and he and Snow could retire to the room they were staying in.

“Belle’s changed,” Charming observed. Snow nodded as well, putting the candle out.

“It makes sense. She’s gone through so much. I just hope her and Rumplestiltskin can work things out,” Snow said.

“Work things out? He’s the Dark One now,” Charming said in disbelief. Snow sighed.

“He may be the Dark One, but he’s still Belle’s love. Didn’t you notice? Those two have true love, like we do,” Snow said. He could hear the smile in her words.

“If they have true love, why hasn’t it broken his curse yet?” Charming asked, confused. 

“I don’t know. Maybe he needs the magic, now especially. Think about it. He just lost his children. What would you do if we lost Emma?” Snow asked.

“I would find her. I would always find her,” Charming swore, almost confused at Snow’s laughter.

“You would do anything to find her. That’s what Rumplestiltskin is doing. It’s admirable, really,” Snow said.

“Do you believe what they said about getting Emma away?” Charming asked after a moment of silence.

“Yeah. But I don’t know. It seems like almost a bigger curse to have her away from us,” Snow said.

“But she needs her best chance. And if it saves her from being cursed, we should allow her to take it. And she will break the curse for us,” Charming observed. 

“But when? In a few weeks? Months? Years? Decades? I wish we could be a family there, in the new world,” Snow said sadly. Charming pulled his wife closer.

“I know. But things will work out. I promise.”

 

Belle:

The months flew by. The wardrobe Gepetto was carving was almost finished. Her and Rumplestiltskin spent ample time trying to find if there would be any side effects. They determined that the wardrobe should have enough magic for two children to get through. 

It was on a normal day that the wardrobe was completed. Belle was the one informed. Rumplestiltskin was busy working on the curse, so Belle hurried and did what she knew she needed to do. She took Pinocchio and, after explaining all the details to him of the curse, how to break the curse, and everything, she put him through the wardrobe, telling him to wait for Emma. 

When she was finished, she found Emma. She allowed Emma to say goodbye to her parents and explained to her what she had Pinocchio. She sent Emma through as well. 

“What are you doing, dearie?” Rumplestiltskin’s voice sounded from behind her just as she closed the wardrobe.

“Emma and Pinocchio went through, both knowing all the details of the curse,” Belle said diplomatically.

“I thought we agreed on Emma and Henry,” Rumplestiltskin said, sounding more peeved than actual angry.

“You stated. I didn’t agree. We only need one of them to break the curse,” Belle explained. Rumplestiltskin didn’t say anything, merely turned and headed back to his workshop.

Later that day, Regina confronted Belle.

“Have you seen Henry?” she asked. Belle’s face lost color.

“No. He didn’t go through the wardrobe,” Belle said suddenly. Regina’s face lost color as well. 

“I can’t find him. I thought maybe you sent him through without telling me. But I don’t sense him anywhere!” Regina said, suddenly frantic. Belle quickly pulled her into a hug.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find him. I’m sure he’s fine,” Belle said soothingly.

“You won’t find him in this world. The Dark Curse is done. Unless you find him in the next twenty-four hours, you won’t see him until we are all cursed,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“It’s finished? But I thought it would take years,” Regina said, puzzled. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“I was able to bottle love. And with that, it sped up the process significantly. I’m leaving to deliver it to Anna. Brace yourselves for a new world. It’ll take her over twelve hours to cast it but under twenty-four, I’m sure,” Rumplestiltskin said before disappearing. Regina’s eyes were full of horror.

“I’ll help you search,” Belle promised. 

 

Henry:

He knew he had to be near the water now. The map he’d stolen months back told him so. He had left the moment he overheard Gepetto say the wardrobe was done. It was the plan him, Pinocchio, and Emma had come up with.

They knew Belle was going to put Pinocchio through. And they had an idea to get Henry out of this world as well. Emma had used her magic – magic her parents still were unaware of her possessing – to summon Hook and Milah. They had answered her summons, agreeing to meet Henry at the docks.

The moment he burst from the woods, he sighed in relief. He regretted not getting to say goodbye to his mother, but he couldn’t live with the thought of being cursed to hate her. He could never hate his mother. 

He boarded Hook’s ship quickly. Hook and Milah regarded him coolly, introducing him to the crew.

“How’s Belle doing?” Milah asked instantly. Henry smiled.

“She’s doing okay. But we have to hurry. Emma thinks Rumplestiltskin’s almost finished creating the curse,” Henry urged. 

“I still don’t understand why the crocodile had to create a curse,” Hook muttered.

“He has to find his children! We have to leave. Do you have it?” Henry asked eagerly. Hook gave him a malicious smile and uncurled one of his fists, revealing the glowing magic bean.

“Very last one of its kind. Now let’s get out of here before we’re cursed,” Hook said, tossing the bean into the ocean once they were away from the docks.

“Are you sure it’ll take us to the same place?” Henry asked over the loud noise. Hook shook his head.

“I haven’t the slightest. Let’s hope!” he said. Milah rushed downstairs to tend to her infant child as the child disappeared into the swirling vortex of blue. 

When they had arrived, Hook cursed. His eyes were wide as he glanced around. Henry glanced around as well, curious. 

“We landed in Neverland. Never-fucking-land. Henry, you need to go below,” Hook commanded.

“But why?” Henry asked. Hook shook his head.

“You’ve never heard stories of Neverland, have you boy?” Hook asked. Henry shook his head, feeling slightly frightened at the tone Hook was using.

“Neverland is ruled by a boy named Peter Pan. His shadow kidnaps children, mainly boys, searching for a boy that is the key to Peter Pan’s freedom. It’s a dark place. And I’m not sure how to get from here to the land without magic,” Hook explained.

“Is there a way?” Henry asked, feeling horror pool inside of him. Hook nodded easily.

“Of course there’s a way. That blasted shadow does it every night. We’ll find a way. But for now, go hide! I don’t want to risk you being the boy they’re looking for,” Hook said. He caught eyes with Milah over Henry’s shoulder and Milah hurried to bring the boy down the stairs to a small hidey hole in the wall. She offered him a small smile.

“Why are you guys protecting me so much?” Henry asked, almost confused. He wasn’t complaining, but he hadn’t expected Hook and Milah to show so much concern and care for him. Milah smiled at him.

“Emma said it would be helping Belle out. Belle helped us out more than you could even imagine. The thought of being able to help her back in the slightest is the greatest thing. Now stay quiet until we come get you,” Milah commanded lightly before closing the door.

Milah walked up the stairs, still cradling her baby girl, just in time to see a boy climb over the edge of the ship. She moved close to Hook, her free arm grabbing him tightly.

The boy had blonde hair and a feral grin. He pushed his hood back, smiling at her and Hook.

“We’re looking for a boy.”

 

Rumplestiltskin:

He arrived at Anna’s castle. He sat in her chair, waiting patiently. He wasn’t waiting long. She burst into the bedroom, locked in a passionate embrace with a man he recognized. Gaston. Of course. 

It boiled Rumplestiltskin’s blood to see the man once more, but he pushed that down. He needed to focus. He cleared his throat loudly before giggling. Anna and Gaston flung themselves from the other, Gaston glaring darkly at him while Anna’s eyes widened.

“Is it finished?” she asked excitedly. Rumplestiltskin nodded. He pulled out the small piece of paper that was the actual curse and handed it to the girl. It was completely covered in print so tiny it was illegible without magic to enhance the eyes. Not that the girl would read it. He produced a slightly larger copy, one she had to sign to lock the curse in. He offered it to her, along with a pen.

She didn’t even bother to glance at it before she signed. Rumplestiltskin held in his giggle. It was too easy to trick the girl. Too easy. He was almost hoping that Maleficent had been there so she would have at least offered some sort of resistance. It was uncanny for things to go smoothly.

“There. Now dearie, why don’t you go kill the two things you love most,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“Why two things?” Gaston asked stupidly from where he still sat on the bed.

“Because this curse is not only powerful enough to end this world, but it also has ever detail worked out. All magic comes with a price, and this curse has a steep price to pay. I hope she doesn’t love you, or you might find yourself missing a heart,” Rumplestiltskin quipped. Anna scoffed.

“Of course I don’t love him. He just has a hot body,” she said. Gaston didn’t seem offended by her words; in fact, he seemed almost happy about them. Rumplestiltskin had to suppress a shudder of disgust this time.

“Quit wasting our time and cast the curse then,” he said briskly before disappearing. 

He reappeared back in the castle, where everyone was frantically running around.

“What’s happening?” he asked Charming, who happened to be the closest person.

“Henry’s missing. Nobody’s seen him since Emma went through the wardrobe,” Charming said. 

Regina entered the room, eyes full of tears as she held up a letter. Belle rushed over to her side, as did Snow and Charming. Rumplestiltskin hesitantly approached.

“He left. He said he worked it out with Emma and Pinocchio. Hook and Milah are taking him on their ship to escape the curse and help break it,” Regina said, hiccupping slightly. Belle wrapped her arms around Regina.

“Don’t worry. Hook and Regina will protect him with their lives,” Belle said soothingly.

“How can you be sure?” Regina snapped. Belle pointed to a line in the letter.

“It says they told Hook and Milah it would be helpful to me if they did this. That means that Hook and Milah will go out of their way to protect Henry. I did some things for them awhile back and they haven’t forgotten,” Belle told Regina soothingly. 

“Well, the curse has been delivered. Expect the end of the world soon,” Rumplestiltskin said with his trademark giggle.

He had to giggle because he didn’t know what to do. Damned emotions were taking control over him. He almost preferred the Dark One

When the purple clouds of magic swept over them a few hours later, it took all of his self control to not grab Belle and hold her tightly. He stared at her as she did him, bravely prepared to take on this new world.

And just like that, the world ended.

 

Pinocchio:

He came through a tree, eyes wide, staring at the sky. He was in a wooded area, he noticed. His name was Pinocchio. He came from Fairytale Land. He was here to help Emma break the curse. And to find Henry.

A loud crash came from behind him. He spun around to see Emma in the tree. He rushed over to help her out of the tree.

“It worked Emma! It worked! We made it!” Pinocchio cheered. Emma blinked at him, confused.

“Who are you?” she asked. Pinocchio’s heart sank. Belle mentioned a possibility of side effects.

“Do you remember anything?” Pinocchio asked. Emma opened her mouth but closed it, eyes wide in horror. 

“I don’t remember anything!” she cried out, horrified. Pinocchio grabbed her shoulders tightly.

“It’s okay. Your name is Emma. Emma….Swan,” Pinocchio said, noticing the swan behind Emma. He didn’t think she would take the name Charming with much grace. 

“Who are you?” she asked. Pinocchio thought for a moment. His name may sound odd. He needed something…different. 

“August. August…..Booth,” he said. It was August. And something about that last name felt fitting. 

“Let’s go. We need to find help,” Pinocchio said, leading the older girl along after him. 

 

Bae/Neal:

A few years had passed. It hadn’t felt like a few years. He still wasn’t used to how time moved here as opposed to back home. 

He still didn’t have the money for an apartment, for supporting Rose and Lacey. He visited them every other day, and continued to cut Rose’s hair. It was shocking that no one ever wanted to adopt Lacey, but she refused to stop crying when other people held her. Lacey was quickly approaching five and Rose ten. He didn’t like how fast they were growing.

He slept in a yellow bug he’d stolen awhile back. Every dime he made he poured into his bank account, hoping it would be enough soon to get Rose and Lacey out of the system and back with him.

He was sleeping in his car one day when he heard the door open. He remained still listening as the car started. He waited until it had been driving for a few minutes when he popped his head up, scaring the crap out of a blonde who was driving.

“I’m Neal. Neal Cassidy,” he introduced after saving her from the cop. She smiled at him.

“Emma. Emma Swan,” she said. The name hurt his head, like he had heard it before. Emma. Emma. Emma. Where had he heard the name before. And he felt like he knew her. Like he had already met her.

One look in her eyes told him that she felt the same way.


	16. Chapter 16

Pinocchio:

Emma wasn’t improving. She was getting worse. He could’ve told her what his real name was. She wouldn’t have remembered. The only thing she did remember was the name he gave her. Emma Swan. She repeated it over and over again, like a mantra she had to keep. 

It terrified Pinocchio. He thought she was supposed to remember everything. HE sure did. Why didn’t she? 

The only benefit was that, given Emma’s apparent craziness, they were able to overlook Pinocchio’s obvious cluelessness to everything. 

But it was getting to be too much to take. Every time he saw Emma, for the last three days, he had to reintroduce himself. 

Until that morning, seven days after they had arrived in the land without magic.

He hadn’t seen Emma yet that day, so he hadn’t had a chance to introduce himself yet. He was on his way from the kitchen to the room where Emma would soon be done meeting with the doctor so he could spend the morning with her, like he always did.

He was stopped by a boy and a girl who popped out from an alcove under the stairs.

“Hey new kid! Guess what? We’re busting out!” the girl whispered excitedly, holding up a wad of cash.

“Busting out?” Pinocchio tested the words, uncertain. The girl let out a laugh, smiling at him. She nudged the boy next to her.

“Yeah. We’ve been saving for months. We’ve got enough for us to each get a bus ticket out of here, but we have to run now!” the boy urged. Pinocchio was momentarily excited. He hated it here. Everyone did. It was downright miserable. Everyone was cruel to him, and even crueler to poor Emma.

“What about Emma? We have to wait for her,” Pinocchio said quickly. The two exchanged unreadable looks.

“Look kid, we kind of like you. She’s…crazy. We don’t have enough for her also. And she’s providing the distraction we need,” the boy said. Pinocchio felt his heart drop.

“But I can’t leave her,” Pinocchio insisted. This seemed to make the girl snap.

“Auggie, she’s never going to remember you. The doctors said last night that there was no way her memory would come back. You can stay here with her and reintroduce yourself to her every day, or you can come with us and have a life,” the girl begged.

“How do you know my name?” Pinocchio said, floored. The girl smiled at him, biting her lip.

“I noticed you the first day,” she said. Pinocchio felt his cheeks flush slightly. His mind flitted between Emma and this girl. Emma. Her. Emma was supposed to be the savior, but she didn’t know her destiny. He had to help her remember.

But what if what the girl said was right? If she was, his mission was doomed to fail from the start. Henry, if Emma’s plan had worked, would be able to break the curse. 

Pinocchio slowly nodded, following the girl and boy as they snuck out of the house, three other kids following them.

The entire way, the Blue Fairy’s words echoed in his mind. He could only pray that he couldn’t turn back to wood in a world with no magic. 

 

Henry:

The wood of the pirate ship creaked. Henry found himself pushing himself tighter into the area. Before looking up. At the top of the wardrobe he had been crammed inside was an area he could probably squeeze into. That way, if the wardrobe was opened he would be hidden. He quickly climbed up and pulled himself up. The bars holding on the coats offered wondrous supports.

He had only been up in the spot for a few minutes, barely long enough for the coats to stop swinging, when he heard voices.

“What kind of a boy are you looking for?” Hook asked. Henry’s heart was in his mouth.

“Here’s an image of the boy. We need him,” a voice responded harshly. 

A quick gasp was heard. Henry’s heart sank. It must be a picture of him. What did they want with him?

“Where are you hiding him?” the boy’s voice asked sharply.

“That’s the evil queen’s son from our lands. They were recently cursed to a land without magic. That’s where the boy is now,” Hook lied smoothly. 

“I need to check the ship. The Shadow sensed a disturbance, and we don’t disobey the shadow,” the boy said.

“Come again?” Hook said. The boy sighed. Henry could hear him ruffling through things.

“The Shadow. He rules Neverland. He was originally Peter Pan’s shadow, but he was cursed. Cursed because he refused to grow up. He was cursed to be separated from his shadow forever, unless he could find this boy and kill him. The death of this boy will lead to the reuniting of Peter Pan and his Shadow,” the boy said.

“And what exactly will this reuniting do?” Hook asked curiously. 

“It’ll give him the power to conquer other worlds, of course. He was easily able to take over Neverland, but Peter Pan cannot leave Neverland without his shadow. His Shadow can leave. The boy’s lifeblood, according to legend, will work like glue to hold the Shadow on to Peter Pan,” the boy explained. He let out a sudden yelp. Someone had hit him.

“Sorry. I didn’t think it would hurt to tell him,” the boy whined.

“Shut up and search the ship,” a cold boy’s voice responded. 

After a few more minutes, the door to the wardrobe was yanked open. Henry held his breath. The coats were moved around before the door was slammed back shut.

“Very well. If you find the boy, let us know,” the cold boy said.

“I told you. He’s in the land without magic,” Hook lied smoothly.

“We gave up on that world a hundred years ago,” the cold boy sneered.

“Well he wasn’t alive a hundred years ago,” Hook replied snidely. They walked away.

As soon as they did, Henry allowed himself to relax slightly. He was still at the top, just in case they came back once more.

It was twenty minutes before Milah came and helped him down. Hook was also in the room. The door, he noticed, was padlocked.

“We have a few problems,” Hook said grimly.

“I think I heard everything that was said,” Henry said quickly, hoping to spare any repeats so he could hear the newest. 

“We don’t know how to get from Neverland to the Land without Magic. It could take years to find a way,” Hook said immediately.

“And with Peter Pan, the Shadow, AND the Lost Boys looking for you, we have to disguise you,” Milah said reluctantly.

“How are we going to do that?” Henry asked eagerly. Hook shook his head.

“We’re going to cut it shorter and I have some calligraphy ink we’ll use to dye it black. Since you’re so pale, we’ll try to tan you up a bit. I don’t know how else to hide you just yet,” Hook admitted. Henry offered him a weak smile.

“I trust you. Is there any other bad news?” Henry asked.

“Time moves much slower here. But we won’t age. It could take us a week here, and that could be a year or two in our land. Who knows how fast time moves in the Land without Magic,” Hook began.

“Are you saying everyone’s going to be much older than me?” Henry asked.

“Not everyone. Emma and Pinocchio will be. But the others: the curse. It has them frozen in time, from what you told me. So they won’t age. But it may take awhile for us to find out how to get back there,” Hook said grimly. Henry smiled, although inside he felt shaky.

“Where’s this ink that you wanna pour on my head?”

 

Bae/Neal:

Life with Emma was bliss. He loved every moment of it. It was the only thing that kept the nightmares of his father away. It was the only thing that kept his thought of how he had failed Rose and Lacey away. He had even introduced Emma to Lacey and Rose. Emma had been especially fond of Lacey, he remembered. 

The only thing he didn’t like was how they had to resort to stealing. Each theft left his heart pounding, terrified he would be caught and ruin his chances with Lacey and Rose. But he never was.

Until the watches. 

They could’ve made it. They would’ve. Or he could’ve taken Emma with him and given up, found a better job and adopted Rose and Lacey immediately before someone else could rip them from him. 

(AN I know I just screwed up the timing but the age has to be perfect…so bear with me on Lacey and Rose’s ages here.)

After all, while Rose was nine and almost past the age that anyone would adopt her, Lacey was four. The four year old didn’t even look like his Mama in the least. Or Rumplestiltskin, much. She had Rumplestiltskin’s nose and eyes, and his Mama’s structure. Her hair, though, was a reddish color, with the gold strands just as Rose’s hair had. Her hair was more gold than anything else, though. He was lucky the orphanage hadn’t noticed yet. But someday, someone would. 

He dreaded that day more than anything. 

But now, his nightmares were coming true in the form of a man named August Booth.

“I don’t know you,” Bae heard himself saying. August smiled cryptically before telling him a tale of a curse, of another land, and of how Emma was meant to break the curse. Everything reminded him of his own family, of their land, but he didn’t dare let a word of that slip.

“Oh? And how am I to believe you?” Bae asked sarcastically. August opened a box, revealing a typewriter that had four words that sent chills down his spine.

“I know you’re Baelfire.”

“What do I have to do?” Bae heard himself say quietly.

“Leave her. Let her go to jail. She needs it. When the curse is broken, I’ll send you a postcard,” August promised.

With a heavy heart, Bae left Emma to take the rap.

The first thing he did was drive through the night until he reached the orphanage where Rose and Lacey were at. When he got there, his worst nightmares had been confirmed.

Lacey had been adopted. 

Not only had she been adopted, but the records were sealed. There was no way for him to find her. None. Their words made him feel like he was going mad. He instantly forked over the money and adopted Rose right then and there before dragging her to Canada with him. 

He couldn’t lose her too. And if he had to, he would spend the rest of his life searching for Lacey. He wasn’t about to do to Lacey what his father had done to them.

 

Emma:

She stared down at the pregnancy test, eyes wide in horror. No. It couldn’t be. But it was. She was pregnant. 

She was escorted out of the cell for a talk with the physician. These things were tedious, according to the doctor. Emma hated that doctor.

“You have to decide immediately. Abortion, adoption, or you can keep your child. She or he will be born around the time you leave prison,” the doctor said brashly. Emma stared at him.

“Before I decide, can I make a call?” Emma asked. The doctor raised an eyebrow.

“To the father?” she asked. Emma shook her head. Like she would be able to reach him.

“No. To an orphanage in New York. I have some children of a friend there who I want to check up on before I decide,” Emma said quietly. Reluctantly the doctor agreed.

She couldn’t believe her ears. Lacey was gone. And Neal had come and taken Rose the day after. Emma was shaking when she hung up. Poor Lacey. 

“I want my baby. I’m keeping him or her,” Emma heard herself saying. 

And she would. She lost her love and now the children she loved as her own, whether they be her own siblings or children. She couldn’t afford to lose anyone else.


	17. Chapter 17

Emma:

Her feet were killing her. The creep had run, just like they all did. Was it so hard to pay the money they owed instead of skipping town on bail? 

Obviously it was.

She opened the door to her small apartment quietly, hoping not to wake her five year old up. Ali was a light sleeper. Emma was grateful for the single mother next door with five kids of her own. She had offered to come over and check on Ali every so often.

Ali was more mature than most five year olds. For that, Emma was grateful. She wouldn’t be able to leave a normal five year old at home alone. Even with the neighbor to check up on her. She had only just got in the door when she heard a knocking on it. Emma turned, pulling the door open.

She expected to see the neighbor in the doorway. Instead, there was a girl. A girl who looked achingly familiar. 

“Are you Emma Swan?” the girl asked. Emma nodded, trying to remember where she had seen the girl before. Then it all clicked.

“Lacey?” Emma asked, unsure. The girl’s grin broke out across her face, nearly dazzling Emma. 

She was so different now. Her hair was really long, and the gold looked shinier than it previously had when she was younger. Her brown eyes twinkled in happiness. She was also much taller than she had been before.

Lacey pushed her way into the apartment, smiling up at Emma the entire time.

“Do you have any juice? I’m thirsty,” she said. Emma nodded, pointing at the fridge. Lacey padded happily over to the fridge, drinking the orange juice straight from the bottle. 

“What are you doing here? I thought you were adopted?” Emma asked, confused. Lacey sighed and nodded, shoving the orange juice back in the fridge with the cap slightly skewed. 

“I was. I am. But I wanted to be with you. She doesn’t care about me,” Lacey confided. Emma felt her heart drop. 

“Honey, you can’t just run away,” Emma tried explaining but couldn’t force sincerity into her tone.

“Yes I can. I want to be with you!” Lacey exclaimed. Emma hated the hopeful look on Lacey’s face.

“Look, kid, I hate to do this, but I have to bring you home. They’ll charge me for kidnapping you,” Emma said. She hated saying it but it was the truth.

Lacey’s face crumpled.

“Please don’t!” Lacey begged.

“Look, I’m sure it can’t be too bad there,” Emma tried to reason. Lacey gave her an incredulous look. 

“Fine. But I’ll only go back if you promise to stay for awhile. So you can see what she’s like,” Lacey tried reasoning.

“I make no promises,” Emma said. 

“Mommy?” a sleepy Ali called as she walked into the kitchen, clutching a stuffed bear. Lacey spun around, staring at Ali for a moment before smiling back at Emma. 

“Go back to bed sweetie,” Emma told the girl. Lacey was staring at Ali, wide-eyed. 

“Am I an Auntie???” Lacey asked excitedly. Emma sighed, sinking down onto a chair. Ali lost no time in padding over to her and climbing on her lap, thumb sinking into her mouth as she regarded Lacey. 

“Lacey, we need to get you home before your parents call the cops on me,” Emma finally said.

“I don’t have parents. I have a lady who adopted me, and she’s evil,” Lacey grumbled. Emma felt her eyes widen. She sunk down so she was eye level with Lacey.

“Kid, I’m sure that’s not true,” Emma said. Lacey stared at her for a moment before pulling a book out of her bag. 

“What’s that?” Emma asked, suspicion creeping into her subconscious. Lacey smiled cheekily.

“It’s a book. I bet my niece wants to hear stories on the car ride,” Lacey said as she slung her backpack back on her shoulders.

“Ali’s staying here,” Emma said firmly. But then Ali turned her huge eyes on Emma, eye that were wide in begging.

“I want to come too,” Ali said. Emma sighed. 

“Where do you live?” Emma finally asked Lacey. Lacey squealed in excitement.

“Storybrooke, Maine!” Lacey said. Emma sighed once more to herself.

“Storybrooke, really?” she asked. Lacey shrugged, but had a secretive smile on her face. She reached for Ali, who – the traitor – reached right back for her. Lacey carried the girl into what was her bedroom. 

“Come on! I’ll help you pack a bag! You’re going to get to spend a lot of time with your Aunt Lacey!” Lacey said excitedly as she hurried into Ali’s room. How had she known that was Ali’s room?

Emma sighed, her head dropping into her hands. Lacey was getting Ali excited. That meant Emma had to at least spend the night. Unless Ali fell asleep. Still, Emma hurried into her room and threw a change of clothes and spare money into a bag. Then she hurriedly packed some of Ali’s things that Lacey wouldn’t think to grab.

She met Lacey and Ali in the living room and ushered them downstairs to her bug.

Lacey froze at the sight, her eyes wide.

“You have his car?” she asked, her voice in a hushed awe. 

“He gave it to me. It’s the least he could do,” Emma said, irritated. 

“What did he do? Where is he? I thought they would be with you,” Lacey said, admitting to some of her disappointment. Emma quickly strapped Ali into her car seat, trying to ignore the feeling of not being good enough. 

“He left me and skipped town after I got thrown in jail for something he did,” Emma finally spat out. Lacey’s eyes widened. 

“What about Rose?” Lacey asked.

“I don’t know. I think he took her with him,” Emma mumbled, hurrying Lacey into the car.

“Is he..?” Lacey asked, nodding back at Ali.

“Yes. But please don’t say anything. I’d rather not have anything said about that,” Emma pleaded. The girl nodded but seemed much happier.

It wasn’t until Emma heard Lacey reading the stories to Ali halfway there that Emma got this bad feeling in her gut.

“Kid, what is that book?” Emma asked, glancing behind her.

“This? It’s more than just a book,” Lacey said mysteriously. 

“Oh?” Emma asked.

“Every story in this book happened!” Lacey exclaimed. 

“But weren’t you just talking about Snow White and Prince Charming?” Emma countered.

“YES! They’re your parents!” Lacey exclaimed happily. 

“Kid, I don’t know my parents. But I’m pretty sure they aren’t fairytale creatures,” Emma said sharply. She knew her words were sharp, but she wasn’t about to have Lacey filling her daughter’s head full of fairytales. 

 

When they finally entered Storybrooke, Ali was asleep. She got the address out of Lacey with a bit of a struggle and of course Ali woke up and wanted to come with them. Emma placed the child on her hip before escorting Lacey up to the front door. Lacey looked so heartbroken, it took all of Emma’s strength to not turn around and flee with her.

She was thankful when the door was flung open and a woman who Emma had to decidedly make sure wasn’t familiar rushed out, pulling Lacey into a hug.

“Lacey! Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you!” the woman, who must be Lacey’s new mother, said. Lacey was stiff in her hug. A man walked out of the house, staring at her. Emma observed the police badge on his hip. He observed the child on her hip. 

“I found my real family!” Lacey spat before running inside. The words both warmed Emma and froze her all at once. The woman stood and coolly regarded Emma. 

“And you are?” she asked. 

“Emma. Emma Swan,” Emma said. She had no idea how else to introduce herself. The woman’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m Mal Ficent. The mayor of this town. But the real question is who are you in regards to Lacey?” Mal asked, her tone sharp. Emma shook her head.

“I’m her honorary Aunt,” Emma said. The words visibly relaxed Mal. But she still seemed kind of sharp.

“How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you’ve ever tasted?” she asked. Emma almost snorted. Did Lacey think Mal was the evil queen? It’d make sense, if she loved apples so much. Mal poured her a glass of apple cider and a cup of water for Ali. \

“How did she find me?” Emma asked.  
“I have no idea. When I adopted her, I knew nothing of any relatives. I was told she was alone, save an older sister still in the orphanage,” Mal said.

“And an older brother. She has an older brother who was out of the orphanage,” Emma added. This made Mal’s eyes narrow even more.

“What’s the brother’s name?” she asked sharply.

“Neal Cassidy,” Emma said. Just like that, Mal’s eyes softened.

“Ah. Well, I hope you don’t plan on staying here,” Mal said abruptly.

“Excuse me?” Emma asked, sure she had heard the woman wrong. Mal’s eyes narrowed.

“I mean, you obviously didn’t care about her that much or you would’ve looked for her before now. I’ve had her for five years now. Where have you been in that time?” Mal asked. Emma felt her resolve strengthen.

“Actually I decided I needed a vacation and this place looks perfect,” Emma said. She spun on her heel, deciding she’d had enough for one night. She marched herself out of the house, glancing up as she walked out.

Lacey was standing at her window, watching Emma sadly. Emma offered her a smile and a wave before getting in her car and driving off.

It was surprisingly easy to find the inn. It was called Granny’s Bed and Breakfast and appeared highly rundown. Still, Emma doubted there was anything better in this small town.

She walked into the inn just in time to witness a fight.

“You’re out all night and now you’re going out again,” an elderly lady was saying. The girl she was talking to, an older teenager with dark brown hair and red streaks, wearing an incredibly skimpy outfit, rolled her eyes.

“I should’ve moved to Boston. You don’t hear Belle’s father complaining about her going out!” the girl shouted.

“I’m sorry that my heart attack screwed up your plans to sleep your way down the east coast. And you know better than to bring her up,” the elderly lady shot back.

“Excuse me. Can I have a room?” Emma asked, interrupting before she had to hear any more. And the shouting had made Ali fussy in her arms. Both women turned and stared at her, eyes wide, jaws slack.

“Yes. How long do you plan on staying?” she asked, quickly ushering herself over to a very dusty desk.

“Three days,” Emma said decisively. 

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Swan. Emma Swan,” Emma said.

“Emma. What a lovely name,” a voice said from behind her. The voice sent shivers down her spine. She turned to see a man with brown hair and brown eyes in a suit with a cane staring at her. The elderly lady quickly handed the man some cash.

“It’s all there,” she said.

“Yes, yes, I’m sure it is,” he said, still staring at Emma. 

“Enjoy your stay. Emma,” he said, leaving almost as quickly as he came. 

“Who’s he?” Emma asked.

“Mr. Gold. He owns the place,” the elderly lady said.

“The inn?” Emma asked, confused. The girl shook her head.

“No. The town,” she said, her voice almost hollow. Emma suppressed the shiver she felt. 

“Here’s your key. Ruby’ll lead you to your room,” the lady said. The girl, Ruby, beckoned for her to follow.

“I’ll show you real quick and sneak out your window. Granny’ll never know I left,” the girl schemed. Emma had to chuckle at the girl. She almost wished she had had the chance to do things like that as a teenager. Instead, she was giving birth and raising Ali in prison. 

She settled Ali in for the night and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

 

Mr. Gold

 

His mind was reeling. Everything was wrong. The curse had been meticulously planned. How had it failed?

He had rushed it. He shouldn’t have rushed things. Now things were so far messed up he had no idea how he would fix it. 

Regina wasn’t the mayor she was supposed to be. Far from it. She was second in command, nothing more than a pawn. And her memories. So messed up. Her curse had been to believe she knew the truth all these years, only for the truth to be a lie. She had believed she’d cast the curse, that she never had a son, that Snow White was the reason of all her problems. 

And Maleficent. Maleficent was supposed to be trapped in her dragon appearance, deep underground. But she wasn’t. She was mayor of town. SHE was in control. She must’ve found loopholes in the curse and used them. Anna was, he assumed still where he had placed her. Most people were where they were supposed to be.

Mulan, Phillip, and Aurora were nowhere to be found. He wouldn’t be surprised if Maleficent hadn’t locked them up in the mental asylum as well.

And Belle. His beautiful Belle. She had messed with Belle. While Belle was supposed to hate him, it wasn’t supposed to be bad. Belle was younger. Twenty-two. And she worked at the bar, where she spent each night playing pool all night and flirting with whatever man paid her any attention. Gaston was still trying to court her, but Belle couldn’t be saddled with one man. 

Mr. Gold limped quickly back to his house, thinking of ways to win over Belle.

Until he remembered Lacey. 

It could be her. It had to be her. He had given his daughter to Maleficent to raise.

 

No. It had to be a coincidence. Both Rose and Lacey had had their mother’s hair, the dark brown curls. This Lacey’s hair was almost all a golden color, something that was nowhere in his family tree. And he doubted it was in Belle’s. 

It had to just be a rather large coincidence. But was there truly anything as a coincidence?

All he knew was that he had two missions now. The first one was to win Belle back. And the second one was to find out if Malificent’s Lacey was actually his and Belle’s Lacey.

And if she was, he had a third mission: to win Lacey back from Maleficent as soon as possible. 

 

Hook:

It had taken much took long, but they had it. Henry was still mopping the deck when Milah slid it into his hands. A vial of pixie dust. Pixie dust that would get the ship to fly out of this world and into the land without magic. Once there, they could sail the ship and find wherever it was that Belle and Henry’s mother had ended up. 

He approached Henry with a smile on his face.

“Guess what boy? We’re gonna go find your mother,” Hook said, opening the vial and dumping it onto the deck. The dust spread out at an alarming speed, shocking the crew. But in less than thirty seconds, the ship was lifting to the air.

“Hurry up with the sails! We have to get out of here before old Pan realizes what’s happened!” Hook shouted. This lit a fire under his crew’s feet as everyone, Henry included, scurried off to do their jobs at breakneck speed. Hook took his daughter from Milah. They were finally getting out of this Godforsaken place. 

He finally would be able to watch his daughter grow up instead of remaining this crying toddler as she had for the last who knows how many years.

 

Rose:

Bae was out again with Wendy. She hated Wendy. She hated everything about Wendy. Bae had chalked it up to teenage rebellion, but Rose knew that wasn’t the case. Rose knew there was something different about her and about Wendy. 

Rose huffed and threw herself onto her bed. She was fifteen years old and she was never allowed to leave their apartment alone. It drove her crazy! And yet, Bae was out every day with Wendy. 

Wendy was evil. Rose knew it. She could feel it in her bones. That’s why she made Bae promise to never tell Wendy of her hair. Of the gold strands that grew from her hair. Rose knew she was a freak of nature and she knew Wendy would do something about it. Something bad. 

She quickly climbed out of bed. She wasn’t going to just stay in bed all night. Not when she knew there was no way her brother would catch her tonight. She could sense that, even if she left, she would be home long before him. And as a teenager who never broke the rules, she was sick of it.

She grabbed her purse and jacket and climbed out the fire escape quickly. She was running the moment she hit the ground.

Running straight for the docks.

She had no idea why. There was no logical reasoning behind it, but she knew that was where she was to go. 

She had had that feeling before. She made her brother wait ten minutes on a second taxi when she got a bad feeling about the first. Later that night they found out that taxi driver had been drunk and had caused a massive accident. Another time, she made her brother take the long path home, only to find out the next day a mugging had happened in that alleyway her brother had wanted to cut through.

She knew certain aspects of the future. And at this point, she was going to use that to her full advantage.

She was glad she had. When she arrived at the dock, there was no one there. Not even a ship at the dock. She sat down on a crate, staring out at the sea.

She wasn’t disappointed. Not five minutes after she sat down, she saw a ship appear out of nowhere. It was a pirate ship. And it shimmered. 

Not shimmered like it was covered in glitter. No, this shimmered as if it were a mirage. As if not everyone could see it. But she could. She ran up to the edge of the dock, waiting for it to pull up to the dock. Rose wasted no time, immediately jumping onto the ship from the high docks.

The ship was full of pirates. The sight made Rose giddy. It wasn’t from this world. It could be from her world. 

“You! Girl! Who are you?” A man asked, hurrying over. He didn’t look familiar, but Rose felt she knew OF him. The man glanced behind him at a woman, who was holding a baby.

“I thought you said the dust would make this ship invisible,” he murmured.

“So that’s why the ship was shimmering! Are you from my world?” she asked, not able to hold herself back. Both people looked at each other. Until a boy, a ten year old boy shoved is way through. She knew him. She knew she knew him. She just didn’t know him.

It was her memory again. 

“Are you Rose?” the boy asked excitedly. Rose felt her excitement peak.

“Yes! I know you, don’t I? I know I know you, but I don’t know you!” Rose babbled. The boy smiled back.

“I’m Henry! We’re from the same world. We’re trying to find my mom, and your parents! Your dad created a curse to bring them all here to try to find all of you!” Henry said excitedly. Rose felt her own excitement peak.

“Bae always said they didn’t want us, but I knew they did. I remembered more than he did,” Rose said happily.

“Where is Bae? And Lacey?” Henry asked. 

“Bae’s out on a date. With a girl. And Lacey got adopted and I haven’t seen her in five years,” Rose said sadly. Henry smiled sadly.

“This is Hook and his wife Milah. Milah’s Bae’s real mom. And this is Milah’s daughter Isabella,” Henry introduced. Rose smiled.

“I’m Rose Gold. Bae changed his name to Neal Gold, then Neal Cassidy after he started getting in trouble. Do you guys have any money?” Rose asked. Hook shrugged and turned to Milah.

“We still have some gold,” Milah answered. Rose shook her head.

“That won’t due. You guys all need new clothes and a place to stay. This world is much different from ours. Here. Give me a moment,” Rose said, pulling out a pair of scissors from her purse. She kept her hair really long so if she ever had a need for money, she could have gold to sell. She cut her hair to her shoulders, leaving about ten inches in her hands. She quickly pulled out the few brown streaks and dropped them. Over the years her hair had turned more gold than brown. She handed the gold to Hook.

“Here. It’s gold. I’ll take you guys to a pawn shop where you can get cash for this, and then a hotel. In the morning, we can introduce you to Bae and see if we can find out where Mama and Papa are!” Rose said excitedly.

She was so glad she’d chosen to sneak out that night.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Belle is younger here than she was in FTL because the curse changed their ages a bit to keep them apart and even more miserable. It was harder for Mr. Gold to go after a girl who was twenty years younger than him rather than about ten (which is about how much older he was than her in FTL). So Belle is about twenty five here, and Gold is about forty-five. 
> 
> Other ages: Lacey is 10, Henry is about 12, Rose is 15, Emma is 24, Bae is 26, and August is 22. Time moves twice as fast in the real world than it does in FTL, which means that since it took almost a year for Rum to create and have the curse cast in FTL, Bae became two years older than Emma, who he was originally the same age as. I hope that makes things a bit less confusing…..

Gold/Rumplestiltskin:

The next morning, he made his way to the bar. He knew she was still there. She almost always was. This was about the time she got off of ‘work’. 

It made his blood boil that this had all happened. He knew the curse would be unpleasant, but he had planned how exactly it was to be unpleasant. This was downright wretched. 

He was halfway to the bar when he noticed something he hadn’t seen before. He had never gone to the bar in daylight, choosing to collect rent when there were people present to showcase his power. Therefore, he had never noticed the rundown castle playground near the beach. 

The same rundown castle playground that held a little girl, looking so forlorn it made him want to cry. And he didn’t cry. 

He had a choice. He could go and try to catch Belle at the bar and begin to win her over, or he could go talk to the girl. Lacey. He could find out if she was his daughter. And if she wasn’t? 

He still couldn’t stand the thought of the child being so down.

He parked his car and limped towards her. The sand made it difficult for him to walk, especially with his cane, but he persevered. She looked up, surprised, as he got closer.

“Mr. Gold?” she asked uncertainly. By this point he was to the castle. He very carefully climbed the stairs, regretting it with each step. He came to the bridge and carefully sank to the floor of the castle. He slid himself over to where she was so he was sitting next to her.

“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Mr. Gold,” he said with a small smile. The girl smiled back at him. 

“I’m Lacey Gold,” she said, her smile beaming as she held her hand out. Mr. Gold faltered at her words. It was a mighty big coincidence, her sharing his last name. But it wasn’t truly his last name.

“I thought you were Lacey Ficent. Oh dear,” Mr. Gold said, still shaking her hand. Lacey giggled.

“No. I don’t care what SHE says, I’m Lacey Gold. Because of my hair,” Lacey said proudly. He nodded, examining her hair. It looked…odd. Not like hair. He had never noticed it before; he’d never been close enough to do so. 

“You can touch it. I don’t trust anyone else to, but I like you,” Lacey said, pulling him out of his thoughts. Mr. Gold tentatively reached out and touched her hair, recoiling at the feel.

“It’s real gold. My brother used to sell it. I never told the Evil Queen about it,” Lacey confided. Mr. Gold had to chuckle at the title.

“Oh? And how have you hidden it?” he asked, amused. 

“I cut my own hair and get yelled at for it,” she said, her eyes dancing at the words. Her eyes. They were his eyes. So was her nose. 

“Now, how exactly does your hair have real gold in it?” Mr. Gold asked, eyebrows raised. Lacey giggled at him once more.

“Can I tell you another secret?” she asked, dropping her voice as she did. Mr. Gold nodded solemnly, causing her giggles to spike up once more.

“I’m from another world. My brother never told me that, but my sister did. She always told me about my papa and mama and…well, she couldn’t remember anything from the other world, but it must’ve been amazing. I think my sister is magical,” Lacey said, her words leaping from one thing to another so fast it gave Mr. Gold whiplash. It didn’t help with the words she was saying. 

“Another world?” he asked, his voice strangled. Lacey nodded excitedly.

“I was just a baby when we came here. But my sister could remember more than me or my brother, because she has magic,” Lacey said. Mr. Gold didn’t know what to say about her words. 

“Magic isn’t real here,” Mr. Gold tried saying, but the girl waved him off.

“Of course it is. You just have to know where to look for it,” she promised. Her eyes were still twinkling.

“And do you have magic as well?” he asked, intrigued. She didn’t. He didn’t believe her sister did either. But he was sure she was his. She had to be his Lacey. Lacey stared at him for a moment before blinking, glancing at the sea.

“Not like my sister does. She can always tell when something is going to happen. Not the event, but that something’s gonna happen. She told me the night before they took me away that I would be adopted and she wouldn’t see me again for a long time,” Lacey said sadly. 

“And what kind of magic do you have then?” Mr. Gold asked. He knew he was indulging her. It probably wasn’t the best thing to do, but he was curious. She had to be his daughter. 

Lacey stood up quickly, darting over to the first part of the castle. Mr. Gold remained where he was, watching the girl intently. She pulled a hair tie off of her wrist and dropped it. Instead of falling to the ground, it floated for a few minutes. Lacey’s face was the picture of pure concentration until it finally fell to the ground.

It had maybe floated for twenty seconds, but that was nineteen and a half seconds too long. Mr. Gold’s eyes were wide in shock. 

She had magic. In the land without magic. 

His shock must’ve been pretty apparent on his face. Lacey’s own eyes widened a moment later.

“I wasn’t supposed to show anyone I could do anything. Rose always told me not to, and she said Bae would be really mad if he ever found out,” Lacey whispered, sinking to the floor. Mr. Gold’s own horror was coming through. It was her. Bae. Rose. Lacey. All of them.

“Lacey, where’s Rose and Bae now?” Mr. Gold asked, struggling to get to his feet. The girl dashed over to help him.

“I don’t know. Mal adopted me and I haven’t seen them since. But I did find my Aunt Emma!” Lacey said excitedly. Her words confused Mr. Gold.

“Aunt Emma?” he tried. She didn’t have any aunts. Maybe if she counted Anna as an aunt….no. Absolutely not. 

“She’s not really my aunt, but I knew her before I was adopted. I found her. I thought maybe she would find my brother for me, but she doesn’t know anything. So I made her come here,” Lacey said excitedly. Mr. Gold nearly sighed in relief. So Emma wasn’t connected to them. That would only add future complications. But she must’ve met Bae at some point. That would make things easier, he assumed. 

“Who’s that?” Lacey asked, immediately pointing off towards the bar. Mr. Gold turned to see Belle stumbling out of the bar, obviously still drunk. 

“I was on my way to try to meet her,” Mr. Gold told the girl. Suddenly, her lip turned into a smile.

“What’s her name?” she asked quickly.

“Belle French,” Mr. Gold said.

“You’re Beauty and the Beast! I knew it!” she cried out. Mr. Gold stared at her as if she had grown a second head. He knew the tale. He had fake memories of reading it before and watching the movie. When he thought about it, he could see a FEW parallels between it and his true story with Belle. But how did she know?

She whipped out a huge book and started flipping through it, pausing on a page. She thrust it into Mr. Gold’s hands, nearly knocking him off balance. He skimmed the page, frowning. It wasn’t even an accurate story, but it was them. In this version, the Dark One made a deal for Princess Belle of Avonlea. And then kept her captive. It made him sound even more evil than what he had been. 

“What’s this?” Mr. Gold asked, handing it back to her. She smiled cheekily up at him before grabbing his cane and pulling him along quickly behind her. She quickly released him and shoved the bag in her backpack before sinking to the ground, crying loudly. Tears streamed down her face as she cried. Mr. Gold was taken aback. He stared at her, confused and panicked.

“What’s going on?” a voice asked. Mr. Gold turned to see Belle staring at him, and staring down at Lacey. Lacey sniffled and looked up at Belle, fluttering her eyelashes.

“I-I’m lost,” Lacey said pathetically. Mr. Gold almost snorted. She was an actress, obviously. The child had talent, that was for sure. Belle stared at him before glancing down at the child. She wobbily got down on her knees next to Lacey.

“Calm down. My name’s Belle. And you are?” she asked soothingly. Mr. Gold visibly relaxed. At least the curse hadn’t made her hate children. That would have been the final straw for him. He wouldn’t have been able to handle it if she did. 

“Lacey Gold,” Lacey said. Belle instantly looked up, shocked, at Mr. Gold.

“She means Lacey Ficent,” Mr. Gold corrected her quickly. Belle’s eyes got bigger.

“No. The mayor adopted her. Her last name was originally Gold. Not any relation to me, dearie,” Mr. Gold heard himself correct her thoughts teasingly. Belle nodded. She reached out and tweaked Lacey’s nose before turning around. 

“Climb on. I’ll carry you home,” she promised. Lacey winked – she winked – at Mr. Gold before scrambling onto Belle’s back. Belle stood, swaying slightly as she did.

“Are you sure you’re sober enough to carry a ten year old?” Mr. Gold asked. Belle raised an eyebrow at him and shrugged.

“I’ve got a car,” Mr. Gold added quickly, pointing down the road. Belle nodded, obviously silently thankful. They made it to the car quickly and Belle sat Lacey down in the backseat before climbing in the front seat. Mr. Gold took off.

“Can you drop me off with Emma? I want to see her,” Lacey said from the backseat, sounding heartbroken as she did. Mr. Gold sighed. The girl was obviously going to be the death of him, and he’d only just met her. He nodded nonetheless, pulling up outside of the diner. Lacey bailed out, running up the steps and waving cheekily at the doorway before entering. Lacey chuckled.

“I think we just got conned,” she said, her words slurred slightly.

“No doubt. Where do you live? I can drop you off,” Mr. Gold offered. Lacey offered him a lopsided smile. 

“The apartments on Fifth street,” she said, yawning as she did. Mr. Gold frowned as he drove her there. Of course she lived in the worst area of town, an area he himself owned. How had he not known that? He pulled up outside of the dilapidated building, halfway out of the car to help her when she shook her head.

“Thanks for the ride, Mr. Gold, but no thanks. I only take men up to my apartment with one thing in mind,” she said, stepping clumsily out of her car. Her words made Mr. Gold’s blood boil. He was out of his car quickly and at her side despite her protests. 

He spent the walk up to her room scheming on how to ensure that men stayed away from his Belle.

 

Rose:

“I’m going out with Wendy again. You have school tomorrow, so you can’t go out,” Bae said. Wendy was standing in the door, her red curls looking absolutely perfect despite the torrent downpour outside. Rose rolled her eyes, making sure to blow a huge bubble with her bubble gum before flipping the page of the magazine she was pretending to read. It was the same one she read every time Wendy came over.

It was a Disney magazine. The Peter Pan Edition. For some reason, Peter Pan made Wendy boil with anger. It tickled Rose to no means. Rose chalked it up to Wendy sharing the name with the spoilt brat of a girl in the show. She had a feeling though that it was a bit more than that. 

“What about if I get hungry?” Rose asked. 

“There’s food in the fridge,” Bae said, exasperated. Rose shook her head.

“The only food left is moldy,” Rose said. She tugged the hat on her head slightly. She had pulled it on after getting back. She didn’t want Bae to see how much she had cut of her hair and ask what she had spent that much gold on. And he was none the wiser.

It helped that the only thing he cared to pay attention to was Wendy. 

“Fine. You can go out and get pizza for lunch. Better yet, call and have it delivered,” Bae ordered. Rose sat up, still scheming.

“I think my friend Alex is working today as a pizza deliverer. I will have it delivered,” Rose said, licking her lips as she did. Bae was not amused.

“Nevermind. No delivery. No boys. Go get pizza from the pizzeria right down the street, the one where the only workers are those three old Italian men. And come straight back,” Bae ordered.

“But I don’t want to. You go out every night and I don’t have any friends,” Rose complained, flipping another page in the magazine. 

“Oh! Did you know that Peter Pan was based off a dream the author had?” Rose piped up. Wendy’s face turned a dark shade of red as she glared at Rose. Rose happily smiled back at her. Bae sighed loudly, grabbing Wendy’s hand.

“Don’t stay out late. Don’t talk with boys. I’ll be back by ten. You need to have your homework done by then,” Bae ordered. Rose rolled her eyes.

“Yes Dad,” she said. Her words made Bae stiffen but he tried to hide it before walking out the door.

It was the greatest insult to Bae, her calling him Dad. The only thing worse was when she called him Papa. It tore him up so much that once he’s accidentally backhanded her when the words slipped from her mouth. 

It upset her that her memories of her real Papa seemed to fade with the days. Every night before she went to bed, she chanted her parents’ names back to herself a few times, holding onto them.

Rumplestiltskin and Belle. 

She had read Beauty and the Beast and she had read Rumplestiltskin’s tale, but neither sounded like her parents. But she knew there were elements of the stories that had to be true. And she was sure she recognized the other stories as her own as well. She knew she came from a land where fairytales were real life. 

The first time she’d made the mistake and told someone that, they called Bae. She had spent months having to talk to psychiatrists, her hair growing shorter each time. It took forever to lie her way out of that one. Now, she didn’t tell anyone.

Except Hook and Henry. 

She jerked off of her bed, tossing the magazine back on the bed before grabbing her purse once more. This time she brought real cash with her. Some of Bae’s. Not that he’d notice it was missing. 

She was out the door in a heartbeat.

Rose quickly made her way to the hotel she had dropped them off at the night before. Most of the crew had opted to sleep on the ship, but Hook, Milah, her baby Isabelle, and Henry had come with her to get new clothes and a place to stay. She hurried into the hotel and knocked on their door, excited.

Hook opened the door, looking less than excited.

“Get in here now, girl,” he growled, pulling her into the room. For a second, she wondered if she should feel scared. But no. She didn’t have a bad feeling in her gut. She’d be fine. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked as soon as the door was closed. Hook pointed at the bathroom.

“How does all of that newfangled shit work?” he cursed. Rose couldn’t help but giggle. She flushed the toilet before showing Hook how to do it. And the sink. And the shower.

“You should all get through it real quick! Henry can go first and I can take him with me to get us lunch!” Rose suggested happily. Hook only grumbled, which she took as a sign to usher Henry into the shower. 

As soon as he was out, Rose tugged the boy with her down the streets. It was still pouring, but she could care less. Her mind was less hazy. She could remember a doll. A little doll Bae had made for her. And a few new dolls after that, from Papa and Mama. And Bae. 

They were awakening memories in her she had long since lost. And she wasn’t about to lose that feeling. 

They came to a stop outside the pizza place. Rose turned to Henry and gave him a goofy smile.

“New York City has the BEST pizza in the world!” she promised him, her happy feeling rising even more when Henry laughed at her. She walked into the store, ordering two whole pizzas while making it a point to flirt with one of the elderly Italians who owned it. They enjoyed it, and her brother hated it. It was great.

They were carrying the pizzas down the streets when Rose saw him. 

He was on a motorcycle. He looked to be in his lower twenties, and he was watching them. Watching them intently. It unnerved Rose, although she got the feeling she knew him. 

When his eyes fell on Henry, they widened slightly. And Rose’s narrowed.

He was from their world.

She handed the pizzas to Henry with a whispered follow me before marching right up to him.

When he noticed she was coming for him, he panicked slightly, looking like he was ready to take off. But she beat him to it. She grinned internally. If only Bae could see her. He would be so mad, especially if he knew what she was about to do. 

She leaned lightly against his bike.

“Hey stranger. Haven’t seen you around. Are you passing through?” Rose purred. Henry’s eyes were wide. Of course they were. Rose didn’t seem like a flirt. But she could be. Especially when it would benefit her. And this could benefit her greatly.

“It’s a big city. I’m sure you don’t know everyone,” he said smoothly. He was internally freaking out. She could read him like a book. And the not-so-discreet glances he kept throwing at Henry proved it.

“Actually I do. This is my younger….you know what? Let’s call him a friend. His name’s Henry. Ring a bell?” she asked with a wink. The man shook his head but his wide eyes gave him away.

“And what’s your name?” Rose asked. 

“August,” he said awkwardly. Rose cheered internally. She was getting to him. 

“Now, August, you’re going to tell me something, and you’re going to be honest. Are you from our world?” Rose asked, her tone remaining flirty. Not flirty enough. August jerked back slightly, his breath coming out more ragged now.

“What?” he asked dumbly. Rose sighed. So much for this being easy.

“August. You recognized Henry. Who only just arrived last night from another world. My world, yes?” Rose turned, addressing Henry. The boy shook his head. That was intriguing.

“I was in Neverland,” Henry mumbled. Rose jumped up gleefully.

“I can’t wait to tell Wendy!” she said happily. Henry and August’s heads jerked to look at her in horror.

“Not that you really were from there. Wendy hates anything related to the movie Peter Pan. I’ll have you watch it later Henry. So I’ll tell her a friend of mine and I pretended we went to Neverland last night to freak her out. Now, anyways, August, did you or did you not come from my land?” Rose asked, directing her question and now more serious tone to August. 

She knew he did. She could feel it. But she had to ask. She needed physical proof. 

“What’s your name?” August asked her, trying to evade her question. Rose slouched slightly, examining her nails.

“Rose Gold. I already know the truth. I just need you to say it out loud. I could tell there was something off the moment I looked at you,” Rose stated, schooling her voice to sound indifferent.

“You make it sound as if you have some sort of magic power,” August snorted. But Rose could see in his eyes that he was kind of worried. That that might be the case.

“You’re wearing a necklace. A whale charm on it, maybe? I don’t know. The charm isn’t important. The string is. It’s from the other world,” Rose said, shrugging. She thought for a moment and, just as things tended to do for her, everything snapped into perspective, a perspective she truly didn’t have enough knowledge to create.

“You’re Pinocchio,” she said flatly.

“And you’re Rose, the daughter of the Dark One and Belle the Spinner,” August replied cheekily. 

The words opened another floodgate of memories. Hearing of her Mama’s rape. Learning that Papa, now that he had the Dark One in him, was her Papa wholly. Leaving their small cottage for the castle Papa lived in. 

And meeting Henry. 

Rose spun, eyes examining Henry quickly.

“You look the same,” she murmured. Before turning to August.

“Pinocchio, I don’t know why you’re here, but I want you to take me back with you,” Rose decided. Her words shocked both August and Henry.

“We can’t,” August said awkwardly.

“Why not?” Rose demanded. She wanted to go back. She wanted to live with her Mama and Papa, to be happy. 

“Because Rumplestiltskin destroyed Fairytale Land to bring everyone here, so he could find you and your siblings,” August said. 

“Fairytale Land?” Henry asked. August nodded.

“In this world, there are many of what they call fairytales. Those stories are about people from our world,” August explained to the boy. 

“So my Papa and Mama are here in this world?” Rose asked excitedly. August shook his head slightly, hesitantly.

“Yes and no. They are under a curse. They have no memories until the curse is broken,” August explained. 

“How is the curse to be broken?” Rose asked excitedly. 

“By either Henry or Emma. True Love’s kiss,” August explained.

“Let’s go then!” Rose exclaimed. August shook his head.

“I can’t take you with. I could maybe get away with bringing Henry, saying he was my nephew or something, but not you,” August said.

“Say I’m your girlfriend, I don’t care. If you don’t take me, I’ll find my own way,” Rose threatened. August shook his head.

“No. Henry, here’s my number. Call me tonight and we’ll set everything up,” August told Henry, handing him a slip of paper before peeling out. Rose glared off at him. She hadn’t even gotten a name from him of the town her family was in.

But she had an inkling. It was in Maine. 

“Rose! Who the hell was that?” Bae’s voice shouted from behind her. Henry jumped, still clutching the pizzas tightly. 

“Relax, kid,” Rose said before turning around, a grin painted on her face.

“Hey Neal. That was my new boyfriend,” Rose said sarcastically. However, the sarcasm was lost on Bae. He looked both furious and terrified. Rose tilted her head.

Bae knew August. And was scared of him.

“Henry, this is my brother Neal and his girlfriend Wendy. Neal, this is Henry, my new friend. His family is here on vacation and they invited me to hang out with them. We got pizza from the place you said to get it from. We were just discussing how Henry wishes he could go to Neverland,” Rose said with a wink at Henry. 

Wendy looked livid. Bae looked pained. 

“Rose, we’ve told you not to talk about Peter Pan so much. You know how Wendy feels about it. And you should’ve asked me first,” Bae said, exasperated. Rose sighed.

“Can I go eat lunch with them and spend the afternoon with my new – and only – friend?” Rose asked, knowing it was a low blow to bring up her lack of friends. But it made Bae relent.

“Be home no later than eight. Where are they staying?” he asked.

“The Goldilocks Inn,” Rose said with a smile. It only made Bae roll his eyes.

“Goldilocks?” Henry asked as they were walking away. Rose shrugged.

“The interior is done all homey and gold. Reminded me of the fairytale of Goldilocks and the Three bears,” Rose said as she ushered the boy inside.

She had a lot of scheming to do.

 

Emma:

She was eating at the diner the next morning with Ali when Lacey bombarded her.

Emma was pretty sure it was a school day. 

Lacey slid into the booth next to Emma, smiling widely at Ali before whipping out the massive book she had mentioned the night before. She flipped frantically through the pages before stopping on a picture of a beautiful woman and a man covered in scales. 

“I met Beauty and the Beast today,” she said in a low voice. Emma nearly snorted. 

“Beawty and the Beast?” Ali asked from across the table, eyes wide as her mouth dropped, food visible.

“Eat with your mouth closed Ali,” Emma reprimanded her. 

“Yeah! The Beast is Rumplestiltskin. Here he’s called Mr. Gold. And the beauty is Belle French,” Lacey said excitedly. The waitress, a girl named Ruby, poured some more coffee into Emma’s cup and snorted.

“Well Mr. Gold surely is a beast, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say Belle’s the Beauty from the story,” Ruby said. Lacey tilted her head, staring up at Ruby in confusion.

“Why not? She’s really pretty and she has the same name. And Mr. Gold likes her,” Lacey deduced. Ruby laughed.

“She is pretty and she does have the same name. But Belle works at a bar all night and she’s drunk most of the time from it. She’s slightly sadistic. She makes me look like little red riding hood,” Ruby scoffed. Lacey’s smile turned into a full blown grin.

“You have no idea,” Lacey said in a loud whisper.

“And besides, Mr. Gold doesn’t like anyone,” Ruby added, filling up Ali’s water. 

“Yes he does! He stopped and talked to me and tried to help me feel better. And he totally likes her! He’s driving her home right now!” Lacey protested. Ruby seemed to absorb this new gossip before walking away, laughing and shaking her head before stopping to refill someone else’s drink. 

“Kid, come on. We need to get you to school,” Emma said, scooting her out of the booth. Lacey threw her book into her bag before picking up Ali and placing the child on her hip. 

“How did you know I was skipping school?” Lacey asked, confused.

“Because it’s a Thursday. Come on,” Emma said, ushering the girl to her car.

 

They pulled up just as a bell was ringing for recess. Lacey tried to slink out of the car but Emma stopped her. 

“Come on. You need to tell your teacher why you’re late,” Emma said. Lacey sighed and picked Ali back up. Emma had to shake her head. Ali was gonna get spoilt if Lacey kept insisting on carrying the child everywhere. Emma followed Lacey through the school. The door to the room was open. 

“You could do a better job at keeping MY DAUGHTER in school!” a voice was screaming as they walked in.

Mal Ficent. The Mayor. 

The man who had been at her house the night before was also there. The sheriff. They were yelling at a schoolteacher who looked familiar. But at the same time, Emma couldn’t recall ever seeing the teacher before. 

The teacher’s eyes widened at the sight of Lacey, Ali, and Emma. Mal Ficent turned around, eyes narrowing on Emma. 

“Where were you?” Mal asked harshly, swooping down on Lacey and grabbing her free arm tightly. Lacey tried to struggle but it was no use. Ali looked like she was about to cry.

“I didn’t want to come to school. Emma made me,” Lacey spat. 

“Of course she was with you. Sheriff, arrest Miss Swan for kidnapping,” Mal said with the wave of her hand. 

“Actually, I was at the diner, eating with my child, when she came running in the door to find me. And I brought her here. Lady, I did you a favor,” Emma heard herself saying. Mal’s eyes were full of fury. 

“Miss Swan, stay away from my daughter,” Mal hissed at Emma before turning back to Lacey. She pulled Ali from Lacey’s arms and sat the child down on the floor quite roughly.

“I will pick you up straight from school. You will not leave before I get here,” Mal ordered. Lacey nodded, but there was defiance in her eyes. Mal stormed out of the place, knocking a pile of books to the floor as she did. The books nearly landed on top of Ali, making her cry loudly. Emma quickly picked Ali up, holding her close as the teacher instructed Lacey to run off to recess. 

“I’m sorry to cause you trouble,” Emma said. The teacher shook her head.

“I’m Mary Margaret Blanchard. And it’s not your fault. I’m glad she’s smiling again. She hasn’t smiled that much in years,” Mary Margaret said. Emma shook her head.

“I’m Emma Swan. And I didn’t do anything,” she said. 

“You must have. She was incredibly happy when you brought her home last night. And I’m Graham,” the sheriff introduced. 

“She wanted me to find her brother for her, and her sister, but I couldn’t help,” Emma admitted.

“But you came back. How do you know her?” Mary Margaret asked. Emma shrugged.

“I dated her brother. I knew her and her sister in that time. But I had an incident and was unable to see her brother or sister, and she was adopted before I could get back to see her either,” Emma explained awkwardly. 

“She looks up to you. More than she does to Mal,” Graham observed. Mary Margaret nodded as well. Emma shifted Ali in her arms awkwardly.

“I didn’t ask for that,” Emma tried defending herself. Both shook their heads at her.

“No. But you didn’t deny it either. How long are you planning on staying in town?” Mary Margaret asked her. Emma shook her head.

“I don’t know. Longer than I’d hoped. Lacey…well, I missed her,” Emma admitted.

“If you want a place to stay, I have an open room. Granny’s must be pretty expensive if you’re staying for a long period of time, especially with a child,” Mary Margaret offered. 

“You would let me, a virtual stranger, live with you?” Emma asked in disbelief. Mary Margaret seemed to realize how strange it sounded. She shook her head.

“It’s weird but…I trust you. I guess. And a child should have a better environment to call home, even for a short time, than an inn,” Mary Margaret tried explaining. Emma shrugged apprehensively.

“I don’t know. I’ll think about it?” she offered. Mary Margaret smiled at her words.

“I’ll walk you out,” Graham offered. Emma sighed and nodded. 

Graham did walk her out. And decided it was time to play 20 questions with her. 

After the first ten invasive questions she had to evade, Emma all but jumped in her car, buckling Ali up in the back.

“I’m impressed, Miss Swan. I didn’t figure you were a rule follower,” he said, nodding towards both the car seat and its position. Emma brushed some hair out of her face.

“My kid’s safety is my number one responsibility. While it might be a pain to get her in and out of the back, if I’m ever in an accident, she has a better chance of living,” Emma said. She didn’t mention the time she’d been pulled over and gotten a ticket for having Ali in the front seat. That was better left unsaid. 

Graham smiled a crooked smile at her before wishing her goodbye. 

Emma shook her head as she drove back towards Granny’s for Ali’s naptime. 

This town was odd.


	19. Chapter 19

Belle:

She didn’t know who Mr. Gold thought he was. 

The man blatantly ignored her when she told him not to walk her up to her room. She may have been visibly swaying, but that still gave him no right to take her arm like it was his property and manhandle her to her apartment door.

Especially after she made the comment of how the only men who came up to her room came up for different purposes.

She didn’t mention that she hadn’t had any men in her room ever. It didn’t seem important. But she had sure implied it. And Mr. Gold drug her up to her room.

She was even more furious when he left her the moment she found her keys. 

If he was going to do something like that, acting like he was going to escort her to her room after stating men only came to her room for sex, the least he could do was try to get some.

It frustrated her to no end. 

When she woke up later that night, ready for another night of work, she felt different. Frustrated, she assumed. But different. She considered not showing up. She got paid under the table as it was. What was one night of no work?

One night of no work was one to two days of no food. And possibly no rent. And her landlord wouldn’t hesitate to evict her ass the moment she was late. He was a sleeze, always eyeing her in a way that made her feel lower than dirt. 

Still, she showered and got dressed, ready to head out. 

Belle had barely walked out past the driveway before she felt something collide with her. Someone. 

The collision knocked the two of them to the ground. For a second, Belle felt like she was defying gravity, like someone was holding her up. But just like that, she fell. 

When she turned to see who she had run into, she saw it was the girl from yesterday. Lacey Gold. The girl who may or may not be Gold’s real child. Who was the mayor’s adopted child. The mayor who hated her more than anything. 

The girl was rubbing her ankle, cursing quietly to herself. 

“Are you okay?” Belle heard herself asking. Lacey’s eyes shot up.

“No. I don’t think I am,” she admitted, appearing frustrated. Belle examined her coolly for a moment. She had been convinced the girl was really lost yesterday, but when they dropped her off, it was obvious she had been acting. This could be an act as well. The girl obviously had some sort of ulterior motive. 

Belle didn’t like that. It was her job to play the ulterior motive card. She was the actress of Storybrooke, despite them not knowing it. And yet this little girl seemed to be stealing the role from her.

“Stand up. You’re fine. If I’m fine, so are you,” Belle scoffed. Belle pushed herself to her feet, only to cry out in frustration. 

Of bloody course. She had twisted her ankle. 

“You were saying?” Lacey retorted drily. Belle laughed at her.

“Look kid, you’re a good actress. Almost as good as me. But I’m clumsy, and that ankle’s always been kind of weak. I’m sure you’re fine,” Belle said. Lacey tilted her head, observing Belle coolly. It was downright creepy. The girl’s eyes were a shade of blue so similar to hers that it felt like she was staring into a mirror. Yet at the same time, she could see flecks of brown in the eyes, and the nose was so similar to Mr. Gold’s. 

Huh. Maybe the girl was Mr. Gold’s child after all. After all, she did seem to be rather manipulative. 

“I like you,” Lacey said abruptly. Her words caused Belle to startle.

“Excuse me?” she asked, not quite believing what she was hearing. 

“I like you. Do you want to get ice cream?” Lacey asked. Belle was stunned. The girl was insane. Belle glanced at the clocktower, which was moving now. It was off in the distance a ways, but she could still see it.

“Kid, the ice cream shop’s closed, and I’m broke,” Belle said. Lacey’s lips formed a grin that made Belle want to grin as well.

“Who said anything about paying? And I bet we could con the owner out of his key,” Lacey suggested.

“And who, pray tell, is this owner?” Belle asked before she could stop herself. Lacey’s grin was all teeth now.

“Mr. Gold. We could get him out of his key without him realizing it,” Lacey suggested. Belle felt her lips turn upward at the challenge. It sounded fun. It wasn’t much bigger than any other scam she’d done, and it wasn’t big enough to constitute jail time if caught.

Plus it gave her a chance to get back at Mr. Gold. 

“Ok kid I’m in. Do you have a plan?” Belle asked, intrigued. The girl nodded before standing, no trace of limp visible.

“I need to borrow some of your clothes though.”

 

Bae:

Rose had snuck out. Again. Bae arrived home after dropping Wendy off only to find her gone. 

It was the boy and his family, Bae was sure of it. Ever since she had met them, she had been spending all of her time with them. She kept making cracks about their previous land. She would spout off information he didn’t remember himself, couldn’t remember. 

When he had seen her next to August, he had flipped out. Of course August would target his sister next. After all, August had made him leave the love of his life. And he was sure that was the reason Lacey was adopted. 

All magic comes with a price.

The words drifted through his consciousness. He was unaware of where they came from. No clue. He knew he had heard them before. And he didn’t like them.

The words didn’t even make sense. Magic? His situation sounded more like karma coming around and biting him in the ass. Because he had left Emma to take the blame, he lost Lacey. 

He sighed, letting his head fall into his hands. It had been about six years now, since he lost both Emma and Lacey. 

And he still had to deal with Rose. He wasn’t equipped with the knowledge on how to raise a fifteen year old girl. He wasn’t 100% sure how fifteen year olds were supposed to act. He was fifteen when he arrived here, with next to no memories. His fifteenth year was spent learning of this world and doing whatever he could to keep his family together. 

He never had time for crushes or rebellion. But Rose sure did. 

And he didn’t like it.

He heard the window creaking in her room. Bae quickly lurched to his feet, opening her door in time to see her halfway in the window. Rose’s head jerked up suddenly, eyes wide. The cap she’d been wearing the last few days – which he assumed was another act of rebellion – was not on her head.

And her hair was really short. Shorter than it had been in years. 

She had cut her hair. And probably given the gold to that family. 

“What happened to your hair?” Bae asked calmly, leaning against the door with his arms crossed. 

“It’s my hair,” Rose defended. 

“And I’m sure you told that family about it, didn’t you? They’re just using you!” Bae shouted, before he could stop himself. Rose glared at him.

“They understand me better than anyone else does!” she cried. 

“Oh? And how is that?” Bae asked sarcastically. 

“They’re from our world too!” Rose shouted. Bae’s anger drained with the color in his face.

“They’re what? Did you tell them we were from another land?” Bae asked. Rose shrugged.

“They are! I watched them appear out of thin air on their pirate ship!” Rose defended. Bae shook his head, crossing the room swiftly. He grabbed her shoulders tightly.

“Rose, you can’t talk to them about it. You can’t tell anyone about it. You don’t understand. There are people here, in this world, who will lock you up if they hear you talking about that kind of thing!” Bae told her, feeling panic rise inside of him. 

“They won’t lock me up though,” Rose said confidently. 

“No, but someone could overhear you. Rose, if they hear you talking like that, you’ll be taken from me and locked in a room where you won’t ever be allowed to leave,” Bae said. Rose was starting to look worried. Bae sighed, grabbing her arm.

“Come on. There’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Bae said. 

 

They arrived at the insane asylum as the sun was setting. Wendy worked there. She was off that night, but Bae had helped out there enough to be able to get in. He entered after small talk with the guards and got the girl he was looking for from her room. Her, Rose, and Bae sat in a small soundproof room.

Technically, it was illegal. But Bae was good. He had volunteered with Wendy quite a few times, offering to talk to some of the patients and such. The guards figured this was what he was doing once more.

“Rose, this is Alice. Alice believes she fell down a Rabbit Hole and ended up in a land called Wonderland. Like the book. And because of that, they’ve locked her away,” Bae explained. Rose stared at Alice for a moment, tilting her head.

“What was it like?” Rose asked. Alice stared at her, calculating. Seeing if this was a trick.

“Most awful,” Alice said bluntly.

“Rose! You’re missing the point! If you keep talking like you are, they’re going to lock you up too!” Bae said, running a hand shakily through his hair. Rose looked unperturbed. 

“I’d be able to see if they were going to do that,” Rose stated, as if it made perfect sense.

“Can we go home now?” she asked him. Then she turned back to Alice.

“I’ll see you again sometime. And be prepared for a familiar rabbit to show up soon,” Rose warned. Alice’s eyes were instantly filled with mistrust. Bae stood quickly, escorting Alice back to her cell before taking Rose with him back to the apartment.

So much for that working. He had assumed meeting Alice would scare some sense into Rose.

“Rose, you’re grounded. No leaving the apartment, except for school,” Bae finally said. Rose glared at him. 

“You’ll relent in a week,” she swore. Her comments were starting to unnerve him. They were much more frequent than they had been in the past. She had always made strange comments about the future, but either they weren’t as frequent or she was better at hiding them before.

Either way, he didn’t like it. He had a sinking feeling- on that didn’t come from any magic like Rose assumed hers did – that Rose’s comments were going to get her in a lot of trouble. And soon.

He locked the door and left the apartment abruptly. The person he wanted to go to and talk to – Wendy – wasn’t the wisest decision. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her…it was her line of work. Or what little he knew of it. He knew she didn’t tell him half of it, but she wasn’t sure what exactly she was hiding. She worked at the mental asylum most of the time, but other times…she worked elsewhere. And he had no clue where it was. The last thing he wanted to do was vent to her and end up having his little sister taken from him.

Despite all the trouble she caused, Rose was all he had left.

He hurried down the streets. He’d made it a point to find out where the family was staying as soon as Rose started spending time with them. He still hadn’t seen any of them other than the boy, Henry. He didn’t like it.

He hurried up to their room number, glad he had learnt it before. He knocked quickly on the door.

“Bloody hell,” he heard someone curse from the room. The door was yanked open by Henry. He stared at Bae, eyes wide in horror. 

“Are your parents here? I need to have a word,” Bae said formally. Henry nodded slowly, opening the door wider. Bae followed Henry in. 

Sitting in the middle of the room was a man with a hook for one of his hands and a woman holding a baby. And leaning against the wall was August. 

“We’ve already told you. You can’t take Henry with you. He was entrusted with us,” the man with the hook was shouting at him.

“And I’ve already told you. I was entrusted with Emma and Henry to break the curse. Emma doesn’t have the motivation Henry has,” August was shouting.

“Guys, this is Bae!” Henry announced loudly.

“Neal. My name’s Neal,” Bae responded instantly. 

“I’m Hook, and this is my wife Milah, our daughter Isabella, and….well, he’s August,” Hook said with a distasteful wave towards August. 

“Has she been hanging around you too?” Bae asked August, feeling his anger boiling. He didn’t pay attention to how Milah’s eyes widened at the sight of him and how she stared at him like she knew him but didn’t at the same time. 

“She hangs out with whoever she wants,” August challenged. 

“No. She doesn’t. If I ever hear of her hanging around you again, I’ll call the cops on you,” Bae threatened. August looked vaguely amused.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m leaving, and taking Henry with me, tonight,” August said.

“You’re not taking him with you,” Hook all but shouted. 

“STOP! You’re not my father. And I want to see my mother,” Henry said. He turned to August.

“I’ll go with you,” he said. 

“Not your father?” Bae asked, feeling confused. Henry shook his head.

“Didn’t Rose tell you? We’re from your world,” Henry said happily. 

“So you’re the reason she’s been talking crazy lately,” Bae said disdainfully.

“Your name is Baelfire. You’re the son of Rumplestiltskin and Belle. Belle found you in the woods when you were a baby and raised you, and Rumplestiltskin found both of you years later,” Hook said lazily. Bae’s eyes narrowed on him.

“I don’t know any of that besides the names of my parents,” Bae said. Hook exchanged glances with Milah. 

“What do you remember of your past?” Hook asked cautiously. Bae shook his head.

“I had childhood amnesia. I don’t remember anything before the age of fifteen, other than my parents’ names and a few random details,” Bae found himself admitting. Henry looked crestfallen.

“But Rose remembers more. Especially when I tell her stories,” Henry said with a frown.

“Stories? Kid, if I was in your land, it was ten years ago. You woulda been really small,” Bae said. The boy shook his head.

“We’ve spent the last ten years in Neverland. You, me, and Emma used to play with Rose, before everything got bad,” Henry said. Bae’s mind froze.

“Emma? What about Emma?” Bae asked sharply. August looked like he was trying to stop Bae from saying something.

“I know you said Emma was supposed to break a curse. You didn’t say she was from our land. Did I know her well?” Bae asked anxiously. 

“Yeah! You two were in love!” Henry said excitedly. Bae felt sick. He turned to August. 

“You knew that. Did she know too?” Bae demanded. August shook his head.

“No. She lost all of her memories like you did,” August explained. Bae shook his head.

“Look, Rose is in trouble. If she keeps talking like this, someone’s going to lock her up, say she’s crazy. You people need to leave. Now. She’s grounded for the next two weeks. If you are not gone within the week, I’ll… just leave. For her sake,” Bae begged. Hook shared a look with Milah.

“If it’ll keep the girl safe, we’ll leave,” Hook promised. Bae offered a small smile of relief before turning to walk out the door. He hesitated, turning back to Milah and the baby. 

Milah smiled at him, but it was a bittersweet smile.

“Would you like to hold her? Before you leave?” she asked. Bae started to shake his head but his feet drug him over to her. He held the baby tightly to him, staring down at her face. 

Something about her called to him. He shook his head, handing the baby back to her.

“Just leave within the week. Please.”

 

Mr. Gold:

 

He was pulled from his work at his house by a sharp knocking on the door. It frustrated him. Who would knock on his door at this time? Only a crazy person would disturb him at his own house. 

He opened the door to see Belle on his porch. She was gripping her ankle tightly, wearing clothes that seemed much too tight and skimpy to be appropriate. She looked up, her eyes wide in confusion.

“Oh. Mr. Gold. I’m sorry. Do you have a phone I could borrow?” she asked. Mr. Gold arched his eyebrow, staring at her.

“What happened to you, dear?” he asked. She shook her head.

“I tripped and twisted my ankle on my way to work. Your house was the closest…” Belle said awkwardly. He nodded, opening the door widely. Belle limped slightly inside. He held out his arm to her and she took it, giving the door a slight nudge. The push wasn’t enough to close the door. He wondered if she realized that. But she was already moving. 

He helped her into the living room, setting her down.

“I’ll go get my cell phone,” he told her, leaving the room. When he was on his way back, he heard whispering.

“But where could it be?” a voice asked very quietly.

“I don’t know, but hurry up! He’ll be back any minute!” Belle voice responded. Mr. Gold limped quickly into the room.

But no one was there. His eyes scanned the room curiously. But there was no sign of anyone. He handed the cell phone to Belle. She took it and dialed a number. After a few minutes, she sighed.

“No one’s picking up,” she said glumly. 

“Do you need me to drive you somewhere?” he asked. Belle shook her head.

“Do you have any kind of ankle brace?” she asked. Mr. Gold nodded, a light smile dusting his lips. He turned and made his way to the bathroom where his first aid kit was. He carried it back out and sat down on the couch next to her. 

He was halfway through wrapping her ankle up when he felt a pressure on his back pocket, where he kept his keys. He spun around quickly, but there was no one there. But his keys were missing. 

“Did you see anyone there?” he asked. Belle smiled innocently at him.

“No. Should I have?” Mr. Gold sighed. 

“Do you need me to walk you anywhere?” he asked. Belle shook her head, shooting him a dazzling smile as he helped her to the door. 

“No. I’m good. Thank you though. For everything,” Belle said, leaning in and giving him a kiss on the cheek. It was a longer kiss than she should’ve given him, especially on the cheek. 

She gave him another bright smile and was out the door faster than she should have been. 

When she was gone, his keys were back. As if they had never been gone. He flipped through them quickly.

One was missing. The one for the ice cream shop downtown that he owned.

 

It took him awhile to get downtown. His car wouldn’t start when he tried to start it. And then he slipped on the path into a mud puddle. He cursed at his luck. He hurried inside and changed clothes before trying the car again.

This time, it worked. Huh. He sped downtown, parking the car behind the shop. He unlocked the back door, the one he still had a key to, and hurried inside quietly. 

He was instantly greeted with laughter.

“Where did you come up with this idea?” Belle asked.

“I’ve always wanted to try it. I love ice cream. And free ice cream tastes better,” Lacey’s voice responded, laughing as well. He quietly made his way so he could see them.

Lacey was wearing some of Belle’s clothing. The outfit was a little loose on Lacey, but it covered her in black. Lacy black. It made her look even more like a mini Belle. 

They were both covered in ice cream. Lacey’s face had dirt rubbed into it as well. She had been there and swiped his key. She had been in disguise. Now, both of them were laughing and eating the ice cream.

“Kid, we should get going before he discovers,” Belle said.

“He won’t notice it for awhile,” Lacey said confidently.

“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Mr. Gold called out. Both girls stiffened. Belle lowered the lid of the ice cream, dropping her spoon in the trash. Lacey threw hers away also. She turned guiltily. 

“I don’t appreciate people stealing from me,” he said. 

“We just wanted ice cream,” Lacey said, her eyes going wide and her lips pouting. 

“Breaking and Entering, stealing, and I’m sure I could add more charges to that,” Mr. Gold listed off. He saw an opportunity. Belle stiffened.

“She didn’t do anything. It was me,” Belle lied, just as Mr. Gold knew she would.

“Well, Miss French, it looks like you have two options then. You can go to jail,” Mr. Gold said. Belle didn’t look like she approved of that idea much.

“And the second option?” she questioned.

“You can work for me. As a shopkeeper and maid at my house,” Mr. Gold said. Lacey gasped. Her eyes were wide. Almost cheerful.

“Belle! You can’t go to jail! And wouldn’t it be better to work for Mr. Gold than at the bar?” Lacey asked. Belle looked confused.

“If I agreed to work for him, Lacey, I wouldn’t be getting paid for it. I’d have to have both jobs still,” Belle told the girl.

“No. I’d pay you for your work,” Mr. Gold heard himself saying. Belle turned to him, disbelieving.

“Why would you do that?” she questioned. 

“It’s not like I can find a maid or shopkeeper anywhere else. If you haven’t noticed, Miss French, no one wants to work for a monster,” Mr. Gold said bitterly.

“You’re not a monster,” Lacey said automatically. 

“Fine. Deal,” Belle said. Mr. Gold felt his lips turn upward into an involuntary smile.

“Good. I’ll see you at eight tomorrow at the shop for your first day of work,” Mr. Gold said, turning abruptly. He stopped, turning back.

“I need that key,” he said. Lacey sighed and ran up to him, pressing the key into his open hand. She was covered in dirt and ice cream. 

“Were you the one who created a mud puddle for me to slip in?” Mr. Gold asked. The girl’s smile was so wide he thought it would break her face. 

“Miss French, why don’t you take her to get her cleaned up before returning her to Regina. Regina will not be very happy to see her in those clothes,” Mr. Gold said. He examined Lacey up and down before glancing back at Belle.

“On second thought, bring her back just like that. And take a picture of her face when you do,” Mr. Gold said, turning. 

His day just got reasonably brighter.


	20. Chapter 20

Belle:

Belle didn’t clean her up. Lacey didn’t let her. Belle sighed as she escorted Lacey home, slowly but surely. Her ankle really did hurt. And it looked like Lacey’s did as well. So much that, after awhile, Lacey asked to be carried.

What ten year old needed carrying?

Still, Belle let the girl climb onto her back and carried her to the mayor’s house.

Belle hated the mayor. And the mayor hated her. Always had. There was no reason behind it, just mutual hatred. It was the main reason no one would hire Belle except the bar. No one wanted to anger Mal. 

At the front of the driveway, Belle sat her down on her feet, grabbing her hand to drag her along. She knocked on the door, startled when it was jerked open before she could even knock a second time. 

Mal glared hatefully at her. She took one look at Lacey and her glare intensified.

“Graham! Lacey’s here. And you need to arrest Belle French for kidnapping,” Mal stated. 

“She didn’t kidnap me!” Lacey protested. Mal eyed the child.

“Not only did she kidnap her, but look at the state she returned her in. Graham, arrest her,” Mal repeated forcefully. Graham sighed and pulled handcuffs from his hip. Belle couldn’t believe it.

And she wasn’t about to get arrested.

She spun around, taking off running as fast as she could with a slightly bum ankle. She barely made it past the mayor’s driveway before Graham had her in handcuffs and in the back of his car.

Of bloody course. She was sat in the back of the car and given an apologetic look from him. He drove straight through town and people ogled the sight of her in the backseat of a policecar. Again. She couldn’t even count all of the times she had been arrested on suspicion of prostitution. Each time she was released, but still. 

Graham thankfully cut through an alley instead of driving in front of Granny’s Diner. He must’ve decided she’d had enough mortification thrown at her. As they cut through the alley, she noticed Emma talking with Ashley Boyd. Ashley used to work with Belle at the bar, despite being so young. Her apartment was next to Belle’s as well. The girl was the closest thing Belle had to a friend. 

Graham got her to the station and booked her.

“Do you really have to take my picture? Again? You just took it last week,” Belle asked sarcastically. Graham sighed and took the pictures anyway. He locked her in the cell. 

“You know, with how often Mal has me thrown in here, you might as well label this as my cell,” Belle spat out. Graham sighed once more.

“Belle, I know you’re mad. Just give it time. She doesn’t have a legitimate case against you,” Graham told her.

“Then let me go,” Belle insisted.

“Can’t. If I do, she’ll just create a legitimate case against you. I will either leave you in here for twenty-four hours, or you can leave with bail. Do you have anyone you can call?” he asked gently. Belle shook her head. She never did. Even if she did, she didn’t have the money for bail. Especially not when she was missing a night of work. 

The phone rang. Graham stood quickly, picking it up. His expression grew grave as he listened. He hung up, glancing up at her.

“I have to go. The John Doe at the hospital is missing. Will you be alright here alone?” Graham asked. Belle gave him a humorless smile.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said. He smiled at her fake humor before rushing out of the place. Leaving Belle alone. She sighed and laid down.

“Looks like I get to go back to sleep tonight after all,” she muttered to herself.

 

When she woke up the next morning, Graham was there eating breakfast. There was a bag sitting on the ground inside of her cell.

The only thing she didn’t mind about being in prison was the food. She got better food in prison than she did at home. And it was warmer in prison. 

“I might as well move in here. The food’s great,” Belle said sarcastically. Graham rolled his eyes at her as she started eating. Was it pathetic that the Sheriff knew exactly what she liked to eat, she’d been his meal companion so often? 

Oh yeah. It was pathetic. 

“Did you find your John Doe?” Belle asked in between bites. Graham nodded.

“The newcomer, Emma, found him,” Graham said. Belle was impressed. She really needed to meet this Emma. 

“Do you want me to go find Ashley and have her bring you some clothes over?” Graham asked. Belle shrugged.

“Do I not look attractive enough in this?” she asked, standing up and spinning around. Graham shook his head.

“You look a bit rumpled,” he said with a laugh.

The words shot straight through her. Like she had heard that phrase before, or something similar. She shook her head, trying to get rid of that eerie sense of déjà vu. 

“Sure. Ashley has the spare key to my apartment,” Belle said absently. Graham was gone by the time she looked up. She finished her breakfast, wishing he had given her the chance to use the restroom before he had left. 

She sighed, returning to the bed. She straightened it up before sitting back down. She had just sat down when the doors opened.

“Sheriff, I have a report to make,” a voice called out.

Mr. Gold.

Shit.

The man appeared, dragging a child behind him. Belle hadn’t seen the child before. When Mr. Gold’s eyes landed on her, he stiffened. 

“Miss French, I take it this is the reason you were unable to report to me this morning?” Mr. Gold asked. Belle stood, making her way to the bars. She grabbed them lazily.

“I was obviously detained,” she said, feeling a smirk come to her lips.

“And what did you do after breaking and entering yesterday to get you thrown in jail?” Mr. Gold asked. 

“Apparently I kidnapped Lacey, according to Mal,” Belle said, irritated once more at the charges. 

“I take it she wasn’t too pleased with the way you returned her,” Mr. Gold said drily. Belle nodded. 

“Where is the Sheriff?” Mr. Gold asked. 

“He went to find Ashley Boyd to get some clothes for me. He told me I look rumpled,” Belle said with a snort. Her words had an effect on him like they had her. He looked shell shocked at the words. After a moment, he recovered, offering no reasoning behind his reaction. 

“I have a feeling he will be gone awhile, if that’s the case. Ashley Boyd is missing,” Mr. Gold said. Belle cursed, covering her mouth instantly as she looked down at the child who was watching her with wide eyes. 

“Who are you?” Belle asked, sliding down to her knees. The child gripped Mr. Gold’s pants tightly. Belle reached out, tickling the girl’s side slightly. The girl erupted in a fit of giggles.

“I’m Ali Swan!” she cried in between giggles. Belle smiled at her and stopped tickling her. Ali separated herself from Mr. Gold, walking up to the bars.

“Why are you in bars?” Ali asked her, brown eyes wide in innocence. Belle shrugged.

“I’m always behind bars,” Belle told her.

“Are you now?” Mr. Gold asked, his voice low. 

“I’m arrested at least once a week,” Belle said. For some reason, this seemed to infuriate him. 

“When is that blasted Sheriff getting back?” he cursed. Belle shrugged. 

“Once he finds Ashley,” Belle said. 

Mr. Gold lowered himself onto the couch next to the cell Belle was in and Ali started bouncing around. The first thing the girl tried doing was crawling through the bars to Belle. Mr. Gold grabbed the back of her shirt before she could succeed. 

“Why do you have Emma’s daughter?” Belle finally asked him when the silence became too much. At least, she assumed the child was this Emma’s child. She hadn’t seen Ali before and the name matched. 

“I paid Miss Swan to find Miss Boyd for me. Since it is a Friday and Mary Margaret, her new roommate, had to work, I offered to babysit under conditions that I would stick to the police station and Granny’s with her. As if I couldn’t watch the child at my shop,” Mr. Gold scoffed.

“The police station?” Belle asked, curious.

“Why of course. I had to report you, now didn’t I?” he asked, and she could detect the slightest bit of a tease in his tone. 

“What happened that made Ashley go missing?” Belle asked, feeling as if she had missed a vital part of the story. 

“Last night, she broke into my shop to steal a contract. Knocked me out. And then ran,” Mr. Gold said, brushing his hair aside to reveal a nasty looking cut on her forehead. 

“Did you have that looked at?” Belle asked worriedly before she could stop herself. When she realized what she had said, she mentally slapped herself. Mr. Gold was watching her with a guarded expression and, to her relief, chose not to answer her. 

“What was the contract for?” Belle asked, once more feeling as if she was missing something.

“Miss Boyd agreed to give up her child,” Mr. Gold said. Belle instantly wanted to protest the idea, but stopped.

She had been the one to suggest it to Ashley.

Her face lost color. She’d given Ashley the idea and the push, and Ashley had wanted to keep the baby. This was her fault.

“I’m hungry,” Ali piped up, interrupting Belle’s internal berating. 

“Go get her some food. I’ll be here when you get back,” Belle said jokingly. Mr. Gold stood, only after Ali began poking his sides.

“We will be back soon,” he promised. Belle nodded. It didn’t matter anyway. She still had another twelve hours to be locked up, she assumed. 

 

It was another four hours before the Sheriff came back. By this time, her bladder was about to explode. The moment Graham entered the place, Belle threw herself against the bars.

“Graham. Please let me out. I have to pee so bad!” Belle cried pathetically. 

Graham wasn’t alone. The stranger, Emma, was with him. 

“I would have taken you to go this morning if you had woken earlier,” Graham teased, but opened her cell. His arms were tightly on her shoulders as he led her to the bathroom. He locked her in from the outside. 

It was the procedure he had with her. Usually, a woman had to accompany her in, but since Graham had no women working there, he did this for her. 

It helped that she was there so often and she wasn’t a murder suspect. 

When she was finished, he led her back to the cell, locking her back in.

“Emma, this is Belle French. She’s a regular. Belle, meet the new deputy,” Graham said as he handed Emma the badge. Belle eyed her.

“Deputy? You’ve been in town how many days?” Belle asked. Emma eyed her right back.

“How exactly are you a regular?” Emma asked.

“Suspicion of prostitution usually lands her here. This time it’s suspicion of kidnapping,” Graham mutters as he searches absently for something on his desk. 

“Check the middle drawer,” Belle called out. She had no clue what he was looking for. But she knew his office better than him. He opened the door and offered her a smile.

“Here’s the paperwork you can take home and check out,” Graham said, handing the paperwork to Emma. She nodded, taking it. 

“Suspicion of prostitution?” Emma asked, shooting Belle a curious look. Belle turned around so Emma could see her outfit.

“Isn’t it lovely? When I wake up every evening, my first thought is which outfit can I choose that will piss Mal off the most? And that’s the outfit I chose. It’s usually rather slutty,” Belle said with a laugh. Emma, surprising Belle, laughed as well.

“I like you. Why do we lock her up so often?” Emma asked, turning to Graham.

“Because people call her in. She’s never charged so we let her go in twenty-four hours. Sorry about your clothes, Belle. Ashley was missing. She’s in labor right now,” Graham said. 

“Labor?” Belle asked, pressing herself against the bars. Emma nodded.

“Found her trying to leave town, water broke. Graham made me come back here to get the badge before I go back to the hospital,” Emma explained. 

“Mr. Gold was in here, looking for you,” Belle told Graham. He nodded.

“I heard something about the threat of charges against you and Lacey? What was that about?” Graham asked, dropping himself into his chair. Belle laughed roughly, tilting her head.

“Are you asking me as a friend or as the sheriff?” Belle asked playfully.

“A friend. He said there were no charges to be given,” Graham said. Belle all but sighed in relief.

“Lacey convinced me to help her con Mr. Gold out of his ice cream shop key and we broke in and ate ice cream. He caught us,” Belle explained. Graham had a look of incredulity on his face.

“Belle, that man can singlehandedly ruin you with the flick of his wrist,” Graham protested worriedly.

“It was Lacey’s idea. He said he wouldn’t press charges if I came and worked for him,” Belle told him. And promptly saw what Graham thought she meant.

“NO! I’m not a prostitute!” Belle cried out, frustrated. Graham held up his hands in defeat.

“I never said you were. But Mr. Gold…” Graham drifted off.

“He wants a maid and shopkeeper,” Belle told him. Emma snorted.

“That’s not one hundred percent reassuring. He’ll probably have some perverted maid costume for you to wear so he can fulfill any of his kinky desires on you,” Emma said. 

“He isn’t going to touch me,” Belle retorted.

“Well, speaking of the devil, I need to find him and get my child back. It was nice meeting you, Belle, although I can’t say that I didn’t wish it was under better circumstances,” Emma said as she took off. 

As soon as she was gone, Graham pulled some clothes from his bag. He tossed them in the cell to her. A pair of his pants and shirt. Belle stared at them.

“I couldn’t get you any of your clothes, so I figured you could wear some of mine. They’ll be warmer in that cell, and the temperature dropped twenty degrees today from yesterday,” Graham said. He turned around, giving her a chance to change in a semblance of privacy. Belle peeled the skintight clothes from her body and slid Graham’s oversized clothes onto her. 

“You know, this outfit might take the cake,” Belle said when she finished. Graham turned around, smiling to see her in real clothes.

“Oh?” Graham asked, a smile appearing on his face to mask his confusion.

“Yeah. This outfit is probably the best outfit I could find to piss Mal off the most,” Belle said. Graham’s face darkened slightly at her words.

“Belle…” Graham said, his tone warning. Belle shook her head.

“Can you think of another man that would make her half as jealous as you?” Belle asked. Graham smirked at her.

“Yeah. Mr. Gold,” he told her.

“Yes, but it’s so much easier to get your clothes as opposed to his,” Belle said teasingly. Graham made his way to her cell.

“Is it now? Maybe I should take them back now,” he playfully flirted. Belle playfully flirted her eyelashes at him, exaggerated. 

“Why officer, are you propositioning me?” Belle asked, making her voice lower. 

His response was cut off by someone clearing their throat behind them. Belle’s eyes shot up as Graham spun around. 

Mr. Gold was standing in the doorway, looking none too happy with the conversation he had walked in on. It sent a pang through Belle. Why? Why did she care what he thought? She didn’t. She couldn’t. She shouldn’t. And she wouldn’t. 

Graham, however, did. He backed away from the cell quickly.

“Mr. Gold. How may I help you?” Graham asked nervously. Mr. Gold took a few steps into the place, holding out an envelope. Graham took it dubiously.

“It’s her bail. Release her,” Mr. Gold ordered. Graham opened the envelope and his mouth dropped.

“Mr. Gold, this is three times the bail amount for her,” Graham tried protesting.

“Is it?” Mr. Gold asked lightly. Belle’s eyes narrowed. He knew what he was doing. He knew exactly what her bail was. She was betting on it.

“Keep the extra for the next two times that bitch has her thrown in jail,” Mr. Gold responded before Graham could even get any words out of his mouth. Graham dropped the envelope on the desk and hurriedly unlocked Belle’s cell. Belle went to pick her clothes but was interrupted.

“You won’t be needing those,” Mr. Gold said. Belle didn’t like his words. Not what was obviously implied, whether it be for Graham’s ears or her own, nor did she like how disdainful he was of her clothing. She picked the clothes up anyway before turning to face him defiantly.

“Well, thank you, Mr. Gold, but I must be getting some rest before I go to work tonight,” Belle said, trying to walk past him. His cane cut her off. 

“Miss French, we did have an agreement, did we not?” Mr. Gold asked. 

“I’m sorry. I’ve been previously detained,” Belle shot right back.

“Well then, you’ll have to make up your hours now. After all, I’m sure I’ll be paying you more than that shit hole in the wall,” Mr. Gold said offhandedly. 

Belle opened her mouth but before she could respond, Lacey had run in the doors and jumped into her arms.

“Belle! I’m so sorry! I tried and tried but couldn’t get away so I snuck out when Mom told me to go to sleep! I made Mary Margaret call Mr. Gold so he could bail you out!” Lacey said excitedly as Belle struggled to adjust the ten year old in her arms. Lacey was practically bouncing. Mr. Gold reached out to steady Belle as she swayed at Lacey’s movements. 

“Lacey, your mother’s going to kill me,” Graham said. Belle and Lacey both looked up at Graham, as did Mr. Gold.

Graham’s eyes widened and he was momentarily speechless. His eyes darted from Belle to Lacey to Mr. Gold and back again. As if seeing a ghost.

“Graham?” Belle asked, confused. 

“Lacey’s adopted, right?” Graham asked, his voice strangled.

“Yeah. I’m adopted,” Lacey said, her voice adding the obvious duh to the end of it.

“What were you doing ten years ago Belle?” Graham asked, eyes still as wide as before. Belle stiffened. Her hands involuntarily tightened around Lacey. So did Mr. Gold’s grip on Belle’s arm. 

“Ten years ago I was locked in a hidden mental asylum on so many drugs I didn’t know who I was,” Belle spat. Graham was taken aback by her answer.

“We have a mental asylum?” Graham asked, emotions switching instantly.

“Oh yeah. We have one. I spent six years there,” Belle said angrily. 

“Belle, I’m sorry. It’s just that…Lacey looks so much like you. You and Mr. Gold,” Graham said. 

“Not her hair. Her hair looks like gold,” Belle said, trying to laugh it off. She smiled at Lacey, releasing one of her hands to muss Lacey’s hair. Lacey jumped down so fast it caused Belle to stumble.

“Well, I need to go before the evil witch finds out I’m gone,” Lacey said, running off quickly. She stopped in the doorway, turning around.

“Belle? How old were you? Ten years ago,” Lacey asked, sounding hesitant.

“Twelve. I was twelve,” Belle told the girl. Lacey nodded thoughtfully before leaving. 

Mr. Gold still hadn’t released Belle’s arm.

“Come on. Time for work,” he said, tugging her out of the sheriff’s office.

 

Emma:

The last twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind. She had agreed to move in with Mary Margaret, just in time to learn that a man she was currently reading to in a coma in the hospital had disappeared. 

She had assisted the sheriff in finding and rescuing the John Doe, who turned out to be an amnesiac named David Nolan. The appearance of a wife did a number on Mary Margaret, who Emma could see was already infatuated by David. 

Then, the next morning she’d received a visit from Mr. Gold, asking her to find the pregnant girl she’d talked to the previous evening. Of course. Somewhere in the midst of that, she’d left her girl with Mr. Gold (after Mary Margaret left for school), found Ashley Boyd (the pregnant girl), agreed to owe the infamous Mr. Gold a favor, been offered a job as deputy, and accepted it.

All in a day’s work.

Then she’d met Belle. Something seemed off about her, and Emma wasn’t sure just what that was. Belle reminded Emma of someone, but she couldn’t place who. It irked her to no end. 

She was at the diner with Ali, trying to talk the five year old into eating some of Granny’s lasagna instead of the chicken fingers she’d been eating nonstop when Lacey ran in, a familiar book in her hands. The same book she’d tried to convince Emma was all real.

“Emma! I think I found out who my mother is!” Lacey said excitedly as she slid in the booth next to Ali. She swiped Ali’s fork and took a bite of the lasagna. Instantly, Ali was fighting for the fork and decided she wanted to eat the lasagna. Emma frowned at the child. 

“Hey, I spent twenty minutes trying to convince her to eat that,” Emma complained. Lacey waved her off.

“I think Belle’s my mother. Graham thinks so! He thinks Belle’s my mother and Mr. Gold’s my father, but he wouldn’t dare say that out loud!” Lacey whispered. Emma jerked back, staring at Lacey.

“Look kid, how old is Belle? There’s no way she could be your mother, especially if you share a mother with your older sister and brother,” Emma said reasonably. Lacey didn’t seem to deflate at the words.

“She still could be! It’s the curse! She’s been frozen in time!” Lacey said excitedly.

“For how long? How many years?” Emma asked, instantly regretting it. Was she really going to give the girl hope that the story was reality? That wasn’t a smart idea. 

“I don’t know. But it could be true!” Lacey said.

“Let’s just pretend, for a moment, that Belle is your mother. Not Rose or Neal’s mother, just yours. How old is she?” Emma asked. Lacey tilted her head for a moment.

“Twenty-two. She’s twenty-two,” Lacey said proudly.

“Kid, that means she was eleven when she got pregnant and had you when she was twelve. That could be possible, but it isn’t likely. And Mr. Gold? He’s what, fifty? If he’s your father, then he had to have raped Belle. And I don’t think that’s possible. Plus, your brother is four years older than Belle,” Emma tried reasoning. Lacey sighed.

“I still think she’s my mom. I don’t know about Mr. Gold though,” Lacey admitted before standing. Emma sighed, watching the girl go. Ali looked sad too. 

As soon as Ali was finished eating, Emma hurried the girl to the door. Ali needed to get to bed early after the late night she had had the night before. 

She was about to her car when she saw Lacey standing there. 

Lacey should have left ten minutes ago.

“Lacey, why aren’t you home yet?” Emma lectured, coming up to her. Lacey pointed at a Harley parked outside of Granny’s Bed and Breakfast.

“No one ever comes to Storybrooke. You’re the first visitor we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Lacey whispered.

“Maybe he’s a tourist?” Emma offered. Lacey shook her head.

“Tourists never come here either. Because of the curse,” Lacey said. 

“You need to run home, unless you want your mom arresting me for suspicion of kidnapping also,” Emma said. Lacey reluctantly ran along. Emma glanced back at the bike in time to see a man with a boy heading towards it. 

The man looked up and recognition filled his eyes.

“You wouldn’t know where the grocery store was, would you?” he asked Emma hopefully. Emma pointed down the street a ways. It was pretty easy to see. He smiled and nodded down at Ali. 

“Wait. You didn’t say what your name was,” Emma said. The man turned and lifted an eyebrow at her. 

“You didn’t ask,” he said with a smile before tugging the boy – probably his child – onto the bike behind him and peeling out. The boy waved gleefully at her and Ali as they sped by.

“Who was that, Mommy?” Ali asked, intrigued. Emma shook her head.

“I have no idea, kid.”


	21. Chapter 21

Rose:

It only took three days for her to sneak out again. 

And when she did, she knew it wasn’t going to be good. She could feel that something was wrong.

And when she arrived at the docks, her suspicions were confirmed.

They were gone.

They’d left her.

She was alone again. 

Inside of her, a fury coiled. No! They were supposed to take her with them! She was supposed to help them break this curse Henry told her about! She was supposed to find her Mama and Papa, and her little sister Lacey. She was! 

And she would. She didn’t care. This was the final straw. She couldn’t handle all the betrayal. She was going to find her family.

She headed back to the apartment quickly, knowing she had to pack a bag. She was so wound in her thoughts that she ran into someone. A girl.

Alice. From the mental asylum. 

Alice smiled hesitantly at her.

“Thank you. For the heads up,” Alice said quietly before turning down an alley. 

“Wait!” Rose called. She hurried behind the girl, watching as a rabbit appeared out of nowhere.

“Where are you going?” Rose called out. She couldn’t feel anything. Except a sense that told her to turn around and run. Alice spun around, eyes wide that the girl was still following her. A man appeared out of nowhere as well.

“Alice! We have to go!” he urged.

“We’re going to Wonderland,” Alice told Rose quietly. 

Rose’s eyes widened. And despite the bad feeling that was rising inside of her, Rose leapt after them.

“Take me with you,” Rose begged. Alice hesitated.

“We can’t,” she said, glancing up at the man. The man nodded. Rose shook her head.

“I have magic! Take me with you! Please!” she begged. 

“We’re late,” the rabbit urged. Rose held back her shock. Alice shook her head and jumped through the portal. As did the man and the rabbit.

And Rose. 

 

Lacey:

She snuck back in her room before Mal even realized she was gone. Thank God. Lacey didn’t think she could handle any more of Mal’s meanness at the moment. 

She’d found her mother.

She didn’t care what Emma said to discourage her. It was her mother. It had to be. Graham saw it. Why didn’t Emma?

Lacey wouldn’t tell her, but Emma’s opinion really mattered to her. She’d spent years with no motherly influence in that group home, and Emma was the first woman to actually pay her any attention. Then, when she came here to Storybrooke, she’d lost that. Mal didn’t want her. Mal didn’t want a child. Mal didn’t like her. Mal liked the idea of having a child. That’s all Lacey was to her.

An idea.

That cut. It really did. And now Lacey knew. Belle was her mother. Belle could be her mother.

But would Belle be her mother? Would Belle treat her like a mother ought to? Or would Belle be just like Mal?

Belle couldn’t be like Mal. She just couldn’t be. Lacey didn’t understand why Belle was disliked by people. Belle seemed nice. Belle even helped her break into an ice cream shop! That’s more than nice! 

And she was getting Belle together with Mr. Gold. 

Mr. Gold.

Lacey didn’t know what to think of him. She really didn’t. Belle had mistaken her for his daughter when Lacey had first met Belle. And then Graham had as well. Maybe there was something there. 

But the book didn’t mention children. At all. The book mentioned Rumplestiltskin having a son he lost, long ago. It mentioned Belle and Rumplestiltskin falling in love and Rumplestiltskin casting Belle out.

What had to happen for Belle to have a baby? Could Belle have had her? Lacey needed to look up more on the matter soon. 

Maybe Belle did have Lacey. But what of Rose? And Bae? Or Neal? Lacey was confused when it came to her older brother. Half the people called him Neal, but she knew he was Bae. That’s what Rose always insisted on her calling him. Bae. And his name was Bae in the storybook. 

Maybe the storybook got things a bit wrong. 

“Lacey! I’ve got a council meeting. I don’t have time to prepare supper. There’s money on the table. Run straight there, eat, and come straight back,” Mal called from downstairs. Lacey’s heart sank at the words.

Sure, she hated Mal. Sure, she wanted to go to Granny’s and hang out with all the cool people there. 

But at the same time, she yearned for Mal to spend time with her. Mal was her parent, according to all the papers Mal said she signed. And Lacey wished for a parent’s love. 

Maybe, if Mal had acted like a mother to her, Lacey wouldn’t be so desperate to find her real parents. 

She shouted downstairs an ok. The door closed. Mal was gone. No hugs. No kisses. Lacey had even tried calling Mal Mom sometimes, but it just always felt so wrong. She’d tried it again the other day, at the Sheriff’s station, but it felt worse than it usually did, to say it in front of Belle.

She grabbed the book, ready to head to the diner even though it was only around three in the afternoon. Ruby would let her hang out there, she was sure. And she had a lot of thinking to do. 

Lacey grabbed the money off the table, taking off out the door as soon as she slipped her shoes back on. Her jacket was still upstairs, but she didn’t feel like running up and getting it. It wasn’t too terribly chilly outside.

She thought.

She arrived at the diner shivering. She slid into a booth, pulling the book out. Was it possible that something was wrong with the book? That it wasn’t accurate? 

No. It had to be accurate. She knew it was. Mary Margaret had given it to her at the beginning of the school year, and Lacey had immediately recognized people she knew from the drawings. And it made so much sense.

But at the same time, it didn’t. Regina wasn’t evil. But whenever Lacey had confronted her, Lacey had realized that Regina thought she was. Regina was cursed too, but she didn’t know it. Regina’s curse was that she thought she was the one to cast the curse, and had to remember it. Because if Regina had cast the curse, Lacey was sure she would have been living with Regina instead of Mal.

She almost wished that were the case. Regina was lonely, and seemed like she would make a good mother. Mal wasn’t lonely, nor did she really care much about…well, anyone. 

“You seem rather focused on that book. What is it?” a voice asked. Lacey’s head jerked up to see the stranger from earlier. There was a boy with him. A boy who looked maybe two years older than her. He beamed at her. And slid into the booth next to her.

“Hi! I’m Henry! My friend and I just got to town!” he said with a large grin. The stranger slid into the booth across from her, eyes scanning her opened book quickly. 

“I’m Lacey. I’ve lived here the last five years with my adopted mother, the mayor,” Lacey told him. The boy’s eyes widened even more. 

“We’re going to be the best of friends!” Henry promised.

“Why did you come to town? No one ever comes here,” Lacey asked, knowing in her mind that the question sounded rather rude, but she couldn’t help it. She was dying to know. Henry looked up at the stranger, his eyes sparkling.

“August said my birth mother was here,” Henry said, his voice low. Lacey’s eyes widened. She glanced Henry over, trying to think. Who did he resemble? Was there someone in town he looked like? Who would have had a baby and given him up?

“Do you have any information on her?” Lacey asked. Henry nodded eagerly. He glanced at the man he had called August. August nodded slightly.

“Her name’s Regina Mills,” Henry whispered. 

Glass shattered behind them. Lacey spun in her seat. Sure enough, Regina Mills had been at the booth getting food to go. She had just picked up a glass of water, Lacey assumed, when she heard Henry’s not so quiet whisper. Regina spun around, eyes wide. 

At the sight of him, her eyes only widened even more and she took off running. 

“Regina doesn’t have any children,” Lacey said quietly. 

“Yes she does! She’s my mom!” Henry protested. Lacey shook her head.

“She doesn’t have a husband. And Mal says she can’t have kids,” Lacey said, but she wasn’t so sure. The boy did resemble Regina, she had to admit. 

She had a second mission. She was going to unite Henry and Regina. 

But first, she had to get her mother. 

 

August:

Shit. She had the wrong book.

August was so blown away by that fact that he allowed Henry to tell Lacey his birth mother’s name. It was part of the plan, but not that early on. 

Therefore, it was really bad when she just so happened to overhear it. 

But all of that paled in comparison. She had the wrong book.

He had spent ages typing the story, getting it just right, making sure he had all the facts. Everything was accurate in the story. And it told how to break the curse. But from the one page he saw, he could tell someone had screwed with the book. Redid it. Replaced it with a different copy.

Something had happened. The plan hadn’t gone as it must’ve. Belle had told him the entire plan. But this wasn’t it. 

Maleficent. 

It had to have to do with her. He had scoped out the town ahead of time. Mal was the mayor. He didn’t think she was supposed to be, but he only had slight memories to go by. 

She must’ve intercepted the package. She must’ve found the book, redid it, and planted it. So everything Lacey believed about the curse would benefit her. This wasn’t good. Not at all.

He had to start working on a second copy of the original. If he could even remember the entire thing.

Wait.

He didn’t have to. 

He had had two copies made. The first he had shipped off to Storybrooke, to the school, where he figured Snow White would give it to Lacey when she got to Snow White’s grade. The other, he’d hidden in Rose’s room. For Rose to have a copy of. 

He assumed she’d never found it. After all, if she had, she would’ve known much more than what she knew. 

He had to go back to Manhattan and get the book from Bae’s apartment. And plant it with Lacey. She was the key to breaking this curse. And until that happened, Rose couldn’t come here. If she came there, it would alert Maleficent that something was up. And they weren’t about to do that. Mal, if everything worked, couldn’t be alerted to what was going on.

“Henry, I need to run back to Manhattan. Do you want to stay here?” August asked. Henry nodded enthusiastically. 

“But who will I stay with?” Henry asked. Lacey looked excited. 

“I know who he can stay with!” she said excitedly. She lurched to her feet, one arm holding the book and the other hand dragging Henry behind her. August followed her as she scampered into a Mr. Gold’s Pawn Shop. Mr. Gold? Huh.

Funny, considering Bae had given them the last name of Gold. It was also funny that Lacey’s hair was just like Rose’s. He wondered how many people knew of that. And he wondered if Lacey had any magic like her sister did. 

The door was shoved open. Inside, August was assaulted by the sight of Belle arguing with Rumplestiltskin. Belle looked exactly like she had to him when he was a boy. Rumplestiltskin looked…different, he guessed. The man had a cane.

And both were shouting. 

Belle was in man’s clothing. Rumplestiltskin was holding up girls clothing.

“You will not work for me wearing that!” the man, who August was sure was the Mr. Gold who owned the pawn shop, shouted. 

“I will wear whatever the HELL I want to wear,” Belle shot back angrily. 

“But I liked your other clothes,” Lacey piped up. Causing both adults to turn around, slightly shamefaced. Until they noticed the strangers. Belle’s whole demeanor shifted. Mr. Gold’s did as well, but his was to intimidate, and hers was to welcome. 

“Belle! Can you do me a favor?” she asked excitedly. Henry’s eyes were wide. He hadn’t schooled his reactions yet, it appeared. August pinched him slightly, causing him to lose the shocked expression and replace it with a curious expression.

“What do you need, kid?” Belle asked, throwing the clothes Mr. Gold had thrust into her hands back at him before making her way to them. She bent down so she was eye level with Lacey.

“This is my new friend, Henry. His uncle and him just got to town,” Lacey said. Uncle? What the hell? But it was better than just saying friend. 

“His uncle August has to leave town to go back to get something,” Lacey continued. August took that as his cue to start talking.

“I rode a motorcycle here with him. I shouldn’t be gone more than two, three days tops. I can’t leave him alone at the inn, and he doesn’t want to ride back and forth if he doesn’t have to,” August explained smoothly. Belle’s eyebrows lifted. She stood, leaning against the counter.

“And you would what? Leave him alone with a stranger?” Belle asked. August shrugged.

“Who said you were a stranger?” he said conversationally. But his glance at Mr. Gold threw him.

Mr. Gold recognized Henry. That much was obvious. But he was trying to figure out just who he was. Was it that hard? Whatever. Mr. Gold remembered. That was what he could tell. 

“I could keep the boy,” Mr. Gold remarked offhandedly. August recognized it. Mr. Gold wanted to know what had been going on.

And Henry would automatically slip up and share about Rose. He really needed to tell the boy to keep that a secret. And with Mr. Gold, he wouldn’t.

“Mr. Gold, I’ve been inside of your house. It is not suitable for a kid. He can stay with me,” Belle announced. Mr. Gold shot her an annoyed glare.

“Dearie, you only made it as far as the living room. The upstairs is in better condition. Of that, I assure you,” he said.

“I don’t care. I have the room for him and my apartment is much better suited for a kid,” Belle said.

“I’m sure it is,” Mr. Gold retorted. Belle’s whole expression shifted at that moment. She spun around fiercely, stomping over to him until she was right in his face. 

“You know absolutely nothing about me, Mr. Gold! I am not a prostitute, despite what you seem to think! You have no right degrading me every chance you get. I do not appreciate it, and will not deal with it. The next time you say something like that to, I’ll beat you with your own blasted cane!” Belle shouted at him, furious. Mr. Gold looked momentarily shocked but smoothed it away quickly. Lacey looked awe-inspired. 

“I must say, Miss French, that you are the first person to ever make that threat,” he said. Belle huffed, obviously not pleased.

“Henry, darling, I’m sure your uncle wants to leave as soon as possible. If you could gather your things and meet me here in an hour? August, I’m afraid I don’t have a cell phone. If you could leave your cell phone number with me, I’ll keep a copy of it with me and I’ll have the Sheriff also keep it. I would look up the sheriff’s number though. So you can call him if you need to get ahold of me,” Belle said.

August was momentarily lost.

“The Sheriff?” August asked. Belle nodded with a sly smile.

“Yeah. I spend a good deal of time at the station under threat of prostitution. Lacey’s mother isn’t all that fond of me,” Belle said.

“No. I’d assume she wasn’t,” August mused, ignoring the pointed look Mr. Gold gave him. 

“We’ll meet you back here,” August finally said. 

 

He waited until they were back at the room to talk to Henry. And when they were, he made sure the door was locked.

“Henry, you can’t tell Mr. Gold, Belle, or Lacey about Rose and Bae. In fact, don’t tell anyone,” August commanded. Henry looked confused.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because it would just confuse things. We need to focus on getting this curse broken. Once the curse is broken, we’ll mention Rose,” August said. Henry frowned but nodded in agreement, albeit it being a reluctant agreement. 

And to think. That was the easy part.

 

When he finally arrived back in Manhattan, he went straight to Bae’s apartment. It was midday; he figured Rose would be at school and Bae at work. 

He was wrong.

He was halfway through picking the lock when the door swung open. Shit. Bae was standing there, eyes wide, furious when they landed on August.

“What the hell are you doing here? Where is she?” Bae shouted. August was confused. How did he know about Lacey being where he was?

“Excuse me?” August asked smoothly.

“My sister. Rose. You took her, didn’t you?” Bae asked. August drew blank. 

“Rose?” August asked dumbly. Bae grabbed his arm roughly and shoved him inside the apartment.

“Yes. Rose. My sister. The only one I have left. Where is she?” Bae repeated, furious. 

“I didn’t take Rose. We took off. All of us. She isn’t with any of us,” August said. And he knew it was true. Hook and Milah left before he did. The day Bae came to them. And August left a day or so later. 

But if that was the case, where was Rose?

Bae’s cell phone began to ring loudly. Bae cursed and opened it.

“Yes honey?” he said automatically. His face started to lose color.

“No, when I saw her she was her usual self. I made sure she was locked up good before I left,” Bae said into the phone. He nodded a few times before a rushed goodbye.

“Shit. She mentioned a rabbit. And….shit. Shit,” Bae cursed, pacing the room anxiously.

“Where’s Rose?” August tried. It seemed like Bae had deduced her location. 

“I don’t know. She snuck out. I thought she’s left with you. But….Wendy says Alice escaped the mental asylum…a hole was blown through the wall….if Rose saw Alice, she could’ve followed her…”

“Followed her where? Who’s Alice?” August tried. Bae looked up, appearing completely torn apart.

“Alice. Of Wonderland. She was locked up for believing it was all true. And now she’s gone…security cameras had a bunny appear from nowhere along with a man. And take her out. They could’ve taken Rose to Wonderland…” Bae moaned.

“Wonderland?” August asked.

“Isn’t there magic in Wonderland?” August asked quickly. Bae glanced up, confused.

“I don’t know. I know nothing of Wonderland. I didn’t even know it existed…but it shouldn’t surprise me…” he drifted off. 

“No. It shouldn’t. Henry? He’s been in Neverland for the last eight years,” August said. This tore Bae’s haunted gaze upward.

“And how was it?” Bae asked. 

“Horrible. Nothing like the stories,” August confirmed, watching the horror grow.

“If Neverland is nothing like the stories, what would Wonderland be like? Wonderland never had the best story attached to it. I can’t imagine how awful it would be,” Bae said. 

“In this story you speak of. Was there magic in Wonderland?” August persisted.

“I think so. Maybe. Why?” Bae asked, confused and distraught.

“Because Rose? She has a lot of magic. Magic she can’t completely harness. Imagine what’ll happen if those powers grow suddenly,” August said. 

“Magic? There is no magic here though,” Bae argued. August let out a humorless laugh.

“No. There ought not be any. But Rose? She still has some. Her magic was so powerful that some of it carried over,” August said. 

And Bae’s face paled.

“Is that how she always knew when I would be back? Where I was? Everything?” Bae asked, but August could see the realization in his eyes even as he was naming each thing. 

“We have to get her back!” Bae all but shouted. August quickly pushed him back down on the couch. 

“Calm down. We can’t. Not yet. First, we have to break a curse,” August said. Bae’s head shot up.

“Not the curse talk again,” he all but moaned. August shook his head.

“Look. Once the curse is broken, they will help you get Rose back. She can handle herself,” August said soothingly.

Only after Bae was calm did he start getting suspicious.

“Why are you here, then, if you don’t know anything about Rose?” Bae asked. August walked down the hall to where he knew Rose’s room was. 

It was still there, under an obviously loose floorboard in her closet. August sighed. She hadn’t explored like he had thought she would. 

He dusted the book off, flipping through the pages. It was all there. The correct story.

“What’s that? And why is it in Rose’s room?” Bae asked.

“It’s a book I wrote. Your story. And how the story continued. I had a copy of it sent to the cursed town, but it was tampered with. I need it to get the ball rolling to have the curse broken,” August explained.

“How the story continues?” Bae asked. It was the only warning August got before Bae had lunged at him, pulling the book from his startled arms. He started flipping through it, stopping when it landed on the page with a picture of him and his siblings falling through the hole. He sat down, book locked in his arms.

August was torn between struggling to get the book back before any damage was done and letting him just read it. The decision was made for him when Bae turned the page. Too far to stop. 

August sighed, sinking down into a chair as he watched Bae devour the rest of the story. It didn’t take long. When he was finished, he closed the book, looking up.

“They were trying to find us?” Bae asked hesitantly. August nodded.

“All the time,” he admitted.

“Who are you? You’re from our world. I know that much. But I have next to no memories of that world,” Bae explained.

“Neither did Emma, when she came through,” August said.

It was the wrong thing to say.

Bae’s face paled. He started flipping back through the book. August dove for it but missed.

“I knew Emma. God. I knew I knew her. I knew it! And you convinced me to leave her!” Bae choked. August shook his head. 

“Her and Henry are vital to breaking the curse. That’s all I was given,” August said. Bae’s head shot up.

“You’re Pinocchio,” he said flatly. He shook his head, laughing bitterly.

“I let go the best thing that happened in my life, outside of my siblings, because Pinocchio told me to?” he asked, more to himself than to August. Then his eyes focused back in on August.

“And because of that, I lost Lacey too. Did you have something to do with that?” he asked angrily. August shook his head vehemently.

But he did. 

But he wasn’t about to tell Bae that. That would not have been a wise decision.

“I’ve got to go. I have to get back. If you try following me, you will screw it up. The curse didn’t go as planned. Maleficent altered it. And if you so much as step foot in town, you or Rose, it’ll never be broken. And you’ll never see Lacey again,” August promised. 

Bae looked completely broken. 

“Fine. But I want to know the moment the curse is broken. And I’ll be damned if you do not talk to my worthless father and MAKE him bring Rose back the instant he has his memories,” Bae threatened. 

“I’ll tell him and make him the moment the curse is broken,” August amended discreetly, hoping the worked up Bae wouldn’t notice.

He didn’t.

“God. I have to report her missing. And Wendy? What the hell am I going to tell Wendy?” Bae was murmuring to himself. August took the book back gently and headed out of the apartment. 

He had one more stop to make before heading back to Storybrooke.

 

Belle:

 

As soon as she could get away from Mr. Gold, cash in hand, she ran Henry to the diner with her. It was late, much past supper time, but she figured the boy was hungry.

She was still in Graham’s clothes, which turned out to be perfect. In the diner was Mal. Yelling at Lacey, who was eating while trying to ignore her mother. Belle sighed, pulling Henry to the bar.

“Can we get some food still?” Belle asked Ruby. Ruby smiled and nodded at her, taking Henry’s order cheerfully. 

“You! Are you the reason Lacey’s just now eating?” Mal had directed her anger to Belle. As usual. Belle turned slowly on the seat, regarding Mal. Mal’s eyes were instantly taking in Graham’s clothing on her. And the eyes narrowed.

“Why, Madame Mayor, I’ve been working for Mr. Gold since I got out of jail. Haven’t even seen Lacey in…awhile. Henry here’s a witness,” Belle said, gesturing towards Henry. Henry didn’t look happy to be meeting Mal. He regarded her as if she were something vile that a cat had thrown up. 

“She was with me,” Henry confirmed before going back to the soda Ruby had just given him. Mal didn’t look happy to see him.

“Just where did you come from?” Mal asked maliciously. 

“Probably my mother and father. But who knows?” Henry said absently. Mal momentarily looked blindsided. 

“Excuse me?” Mal said. Belle noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that Ruby was cleaning the same portion of counter rather intently. She was listening in too. 

“Well, from what I’ve been told, when a mommy and daddy love each other they share a bed and nine months later, a baby is born. So I guess I came from a mommy and a daddy. And a bed,” Henry said. To say that Mal looked startled was an understatement. Lacey looked positively curious. It appeared that Mal hadn’t given her the birds and the bees talk yet. 

“Do you need more details? I was told that was the basic, but my uncle told me that it also involves something called sex and that’s when…” Henry stopped when Belle’s hand covered his mouth. As much as she would LOVE to see Mal’s face when a twelve year old tried explaining sex to her, she didn’t want Lacey to learn that way. 

But Belle figured she would be learning real fast, if the curious look on her face was something to judge by. 

“Henry, that’s not polite to talk about,” Belle chided him. Mal seemed to be getting her wit back.

“Why is that, I wonder, Miss French? After all, of all people you should be the one the most open regarding sex,” Mal said lowly.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Belle asked, releasing her hand over Henry’s mouth. She glanced over at Lacey, who looked both intrigued and worried. Mal noticed her look and laughed.

“Miss French, I would appreciate it if you would stay away from my daughter. Lacey, darling, Miss French does a lot of bad things with all the men in town. For money,” Mal told Lacey. 

“Making babies is bad?” Lacey asked, tilting her head sideways.

“It is if you’re not married. And Miss French is not married. And she tries it with a lot of people,” Mal told the girl. 

“I do not!” Belle retorted sharply. Mal waved her off.

“Everyone has to lose their heroes sometime, Miss French. Now come on, Lacey. It’s time to go home,” Mal said as she drug a confused Lacey after her.

“Are you really the town slut?” Henry asked, his voice louder than Belle would have preferred. A snort was heard on Henry’s other side. Belle glanced up. Leroy. The town drunk.

“You got that right,” Leroy muttered into his drink.

“Don’t worry. It’s the curse. You’re not really a slut,” Henry reassured her. Leroy choked on his drink next to him. 

“Henry, let’s just eat and get back to the house, okay?” Belle asked him, uncomfortable. Granny chose that moment to come out with Henry’s food. She sat it down in front of Henry. 

“Where’s the man you came to town with? You two left but didn’t bother checking out,” Granny said suspiciously.

“He had to go home and get a few things. He’ll be back,” Henry promised. Granny’s eyes fell on Belle.

“Is he your son?” Granny asked, almost rudely.

“I’m twelve!” Henry protested. Still Granny watched Belle.

“No. I’m only twenty-two,” Belle tried. 

“Still. You showed up from nowhere, four years ago. How are we supposed to know where you came from? Especially with your current…occupation,” Granny said disdainfully. Belle felt furious at the accusations, but she also felt Henry’s eyes on her. 

She shoved the fury down, burying it. 

“Mrs. Lucas, I apologize. I do have a past, but it does not involve any children. As far as I know, I do not have any children,” Belle said. 

That was the wrong thing to say.

“As far as you know?” Granny zeroed in on those words.

“I have a touch of amnesia. Lost quite a few years of my life to it,” Belle said, trying to keep it sounding light. No one in town knew about that. Except her father. And she didn’t speak to him anymore. 

Granny took her words and left her alone. Henry ate his food in silence, doing so quickly, much to Belle’s delight.

She even had to carry Henry half of the way back to the apartment when he got so sleepy he was stumbling. And the boy was heavy. Especially on Belle’s now weak ankle. 

Still, somehow she got him up the stairs and into her apartment.

She was lying when she told Gold her apartment was more kid friendly. There was one bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen attached to the living room. She tucked Henry into her bed, neatening up the room quickly as she did. She changed her own clothes and dropped the boy’s backpack next to the bed before showering off two days’ worth of grime.

She needed to head into the bar. She had missed two nights of work. But just as before, she couldn’t find any desire to go in. 

Now she at least had an excuse. Henry. She couldn’t just leave him alone in her apartment, could she? Mal would have a field day with that one.

Yeah. That’s why she couldn’t go to work. Perfect. It’s not like she could get fired or anything. She was paid under the table, depending on how much business she made for the bar. 

She sat down on the couch in an oversized shirt and underclothes, thinking about the boy in the other room. Despite how he acted today, Belle could tell he was hurting. He was missing someone. His parents? Belle hadn’t heard anything about his parents, but if he was staying with his Uncle, then something had more than likely happened to his parents. 

The poor thing. He must be hurting desperately inside. He needed someone to protect him. To help him. To be a mother to him. She wanted to be a mother to him.

The thoughts in Belle’s mind made her uncomfortable. Where did they come from? She didn’t have a motherly bone in her body. She was no one’s mother. She wasn’t even a good role model. She wouldn’t know how to take care of kid, even if she took classes and read how to books for dummies. 

All she would do would be screw up any kid even more than what they already were. 

But still, her mind wandered back to poor Henry. She shouldn’t be forming attachments, but she already was. She knew immediately that she would even feed him rather than herself if it came down to that.

Ok. Now that was extreme. Where were these thoughts coming from? She knew she was poor, but wasn’t that poor. Especially not with Mr. Gold’s money. 

Belle stood and made her way to the kitchen, reaching for her emergency alcohol. She was needing some of it right now.

Anything to numb these odd feelings she shouldn’t be feeling, thoughts she had no right to think.

After all, she didn’t need to be weak. She was strong, independent.

And most of all, she was no one’s mother. No one relied on her.

No one but herself.


	22. Chapter 22

Henry:

He woke up warm and comfortable. In a bed. He smiled. He loved the feeling of waking up in a bed. After spending years on a boat, sleeping in a lumpy cot or hammock that was constantly swaying, the feel of a bed was pure bliss to him. 

He walked out into the living room, spying Belle immediately. She was passed out on the coach, an empty bottle of tequila loosely in her right hand hanging haphazardly. Henry eased the bottle from her hand before throwing it in a trashcan. He hurried back into his room so he could shower and change clothes.

It pained him to see Belle like this. In every memory he had of her, she was…well, different. When he first met her, she was shy but very protective, and so incredibly loving. Then, the few times he’d seen her after she’d come back from the dead, she was strong confident, fearful…but still loving, still protecting. 

He guessed, if he looked, he could still see those traits. But he hadn’t been asleep like Belle had thought he was the night before. Instead, he’d listened at the door. 

She probably didn’t even realize she’d spoken aloud, everything that had crossed her mind. But she had. 

He knew it wasn’t her fault. It was the curse. That’s why, when she started feeling some of her true feelings, her first instinct was to drown them out. After the shower, he tentatively approached Belle. 

“Belle?” Henry said quietly, touching her shoulder gently. He remembered Bae telling him stories of how Belle sometimes woke up swinging if her children weren’t close by. Henry didn’t want to chance that.

When she didn’t respond, Henry tried a little harder.

“Belle? Wake up! Mr. Gold said to be at his shop at eight,” Henry said loudly, glancing at the clock. It was six. But still. 

And she still hadn’t moved. 

Oh no. What if she was dead? Henry’s heart nearly stopped at that. He quickly pressed his ear to her chest, nearly sighing in relief to hear her heart still beating. But she still wasn’t waking up. He shook her shoulders as hard as he could without making her neck flop around. Nothing. 

He was starting to really panic. He rushed back to the room, digging frantically through his bag. August had left him a cell phone in there. He finally found it, pulling it out. 

But he didn’t know anyone’s number. Or where anyone lived. Could he call 911? Should he call 911? 

He noticed a piece of paper on the floor with a random number written on it. Most of the place was meticulous. This was the only scrap of paper on the floor. 

It had to be a sign.

Henry picked it up and quickly dialed the number.

“Hello?” a voice said. Henry couldn’t believe it.

That was his mother’s voice.

“Mom, Mom please come quick! Belle won’t wake up! She had a bottle of alcohol in her hand when I found her and she won’t wake up! Her heart’s beating but she won’t wake up!” Henry knew he was babbling. He also realized after the words had left his mouth that he had called her Mom. She didn’t know him.

But he could hardly care. His vision was swimming with tears. 

“Slow down. Who is this? Where are you? Do I need to call 911?” his mother’s voice was calm, collected. Henry grabbed the phone with his other hand, her voice making him feel a little better. Better enough to possibly talk coherently.

“It’s Henry. I saw you at the restaurant yesterday. I’m sorry. I’m at Belle’s apartment. I don’t know where it is. I don’t think she’d want 911. I just don’t know how to wake her,” Henry said, glad his voice was only slightly shaking now. 

“Henry, give me five minutes and I’ll be there. Is she breathing also? Check to see she’s still breathing for me,” Regina said. He could hear her rustling something on the other end. Henry held his hand right next to Belle’s nose. After a moment he felt air hit it.

“Yes. She’s breathing,” Henry said with sigh of relief. Regina sighed into the phone as well. 

“Ok, I’ll stay on the phone with you. I’m heading out to my car now. How did you find my number, and why did you call me?” Regina asked. 

“Your number was on the floor. Nothing else was on the floor. And I knew no one else’s number,” Henry said, eyes still glued to Belle. She still hadn’t moved. He tried to shake her shoulder again, but nothing happened. 

“You said there was an empty bottle in her hand? What kind was it?” Regina asked. He could hear a car starting. 

“Tequila. I threw it away,” Henry said.

“Take it out of the trash and set it on the counter. I want to see what it looks like when I get there,” Regina ordered. Henry obediently rushed to the trash can, plucking the bottle out.

Only to see three other bottles in there.

“There’s more bottles in the trash,” Henry said worriedly.

“Take them out and set them on the counter. Try to set them in the order that they are in the trash can, if you can decipher that,” Regina said, her voice soft. Henry pulled them out, setting them next to the bottle he had dropped in the trash. 

How much alcohol had Belle drank last night? He knew she was trying to drown out her former self. That much he could tell from her deranged muttering. It had to be the curse. The curse was doing this to Belle. She was coming close to finding happiness, so it was going to keep her and Mr. Gold apart. 

Mr. Gold! If Mr. Gold would kiss her, it would wake her up! Wouldn’t it? He’d heard of it happening before. His Aunt Snow had been awaken in that manner. He needed to call Gold and get him to come…

Oh. He didn’t have Gold’s number.

Regina was still talking on the phone.

“Henry? Henry? Are you still there?” she asked, sounding near frantic. 

“Yes! Are you almost here?” he asked. 

“Yes. I’m on my way up the stairs. Open the door for me?” she asked him. Henry all but ripped the door open, dropping the phone out of the way. Regina had just made it to the top of the stairs. She hurried in the room, staring down at Belle. She looked over at the bottles on the counter.

“She can really put her liquor down. Do you know if they were full bottles or partial bottles?” Regina questioned him. Henry shook his head.

“I was pretending to be asleep. Something really upset her and she was mumbling to herself and drinking,” Henry said. Regina checked her pulse and breath. She opened Belle’s mouth, holding her hand over it.

“She’s breathing, her airway is completely open, and she has a pulse. She should be awake,” Regina said, eyebrows furrowing together.

“What was she murmuring about?” Regina asked as she started to shake Belle’s shoulders a bit rougher than Henry had dared. 

“That she wasn’t a parent. And that no one could depend on her. And other things like that,” Henry supplied. The words seemed to upset Regina as well, but she hid it.

“Why was she talking of that?” Regina asked.

“Because of me. Because my uncle left me with her for a few days,” Henry said. 

“We need to get her to a hospital. I think she drank herself into a coma,” Regina said. Henry shook his head. 

“No. True love’s kiss will make her better!” Henry said.

The moment the words left his mouth, he realized he was doing it again. August had lectured him the entire way to Storybrooke on what he wasn’t allowed to say. That was one of them. Regina was eyeing him, but because of the false memories she had she partially believed him.

“Oh? And who’s her true love?” Regina asked.

“Mr. Gold! Wait. They don’t like each other here though,” Henry mused. 

“Rhetorically speaking, if true love would work, does anyone truly love Belle, that she would love back?” Regina asked. Henry tried thinking. Lacey seemed to like Belle a lot, and Belle liked Lacey, but he didn’t think it was love.

He didn’t know exactly what love was. Half of what he heard about love sounded icky.

Something he’d overheard Killian saying on the ship struck him.

Something about him and Emma being able to break the curse because they were products of true love.

Did that mean, if he kissed Belle, he could wake her up?

He wrinkled his nose. He didn’t want to kiss Belle. She was one of his best friend’s moms. That would just be weird. And kissing was weird. And so were girls. They were all weird.

But Regina already had her phone poised to call 911. Henry pushed back all of his disgusted thoughts about kissing someone and gave Belle a quick kiss on the lips, hoping it would work. He immediately wiped his lips off quickly with the back of his hand.

A small wave of energy shot out, but it fizzled out before it even reached the end of the room. It did, however, hit Regina. And her eyes widened. 

Belle didn’t move for a moment. Then, slowly, her eyes fluttered open.

“Henry? What’s going on?” Belle asked sleepily. She tried sitting up but fell back down, eyes wide. 

“Belle? Do you remember everything?” Henry asked. Belle tilted her head, looking at him.

“I remember taking you in, I remember drinking….I don’t remember how much though,” Belle admitted sheepishly.

It partially worked. It woke her up. But she didn’t regain her true memories. 

But Regina did. 

“H-Henry?” Regina whispered before crushing him into a hug. 

“What are you doing here?” Belle asked. Regina shook her head, still staring at Henry. 

“Henry panicked when he couldn’t wake you up and my number was the only one he could find. So I came over to try to help him wake you,” Regina said. Belle was staring at her oddly.

“Miss French, I was just informed of my relations to Henry. I had been under the misconception that my baby died in childbirth, but he was taken from me. Is there any way I can convince you to let Henry stay with me until his…Uncle…gets back to town?” Regina asked.

Henry was not prepared for the hurt that flashed through Belle’s eyes. She glanced at Henry dubiously.

“Henry, why don’t you call your Uncle and ask him what he thinks,” Belle suggested, but her voice was slightly quivering. She stopped suddenly, her face turning slightly green. Regina released Henry and grabbed Belle, helping her quickly to the toilet where Belle began to throw up violently.

Henry watched her, feeling slightly nauseous himself as he dialed August’s number.

“Hello?”

“Hey. It’s me. Regina remembers and wants to know if I can stay with her,” Henry said. There was silence on the other end.

“How does she remember?”

“I’ll tell you later. Belle’s sick. Is it okay for me to stay with Mo-Regina?” Henry persisted.

“Sure kid. Just…keep an eye on Belle,” August said hesitantly into the phone. Henry nodded, despite knowing August couldn’t see him.

“How’s everything going? How soon will you be back?” Henry asked, curious. He was greeted with a pregnant pause.

“Rose’s gone. Don’t say anything. At all. We think she went to Wonderland. Which means we need to figure out how to break this curse soon. I’m shipping the book back to you. Text me Regina’s address. Please. Plant it. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” August said, his voice sounding raw. Henry almost dropped the phone.

“Gone? Just….gone?” Henry clarified. But August had already hung up. Henry lowered the phone, staring at it. Wonderland? He’d never heard about Wonderland. 

“He said I could. Oh! Belle! You need to get to Mr. Gold’s!” Henry said, eyes wide. It was still early, but she was still wearing pajamas. And still vomiting over a toilet. She wiped her mouth, glancing up at Henry. Then at the clock on the wall. 

She flushed the toilet, grabbing the edge of the sink as she tried to heft herself up. She ended up leaning heavily against the sink. 

“God. How much did you drink last night?” Regina asked, almost playfully. Belle glanced at her and shook her head. She didn’t remember. Henry dropped the phone on the couch and hurried into the bedroom where he’d slept last night. Her clothes had to be in there. 

“Can you get her in the shower? I’ll get her some clothes,” Henry called out. He started digging through drawers, looking for some clothes. 

The top drawer was full of lacey….things. Henry was scared to even touch it. So he didn’t. He slammed the door shut, opening the next drawer. In it was…bras. He knew what they were. Milah always had to hang hers up to dry. But these were a lot…lacier. 

Henry was starting to hate lace. 

He noticed a bra that looked plain. And soft. He grabbed that before opening another drawer. This one was almost empty, having a few t shirts and two pairs of basketball shorts. Henry smiled. Finally, something he recognized! He pulled them out and rushed into the bathroom where Regina was standing with her arm in the shower. 

“Here’s clothes!” Henry said, happy at his success. He sat them down on the counter. Regina glanced at them, then back at Henry.

“Henry, those aren’t clothes Belle would want to wear in public,” Regina said, but stopped when the shower curtain almost fell. Her arm moved. 

Oh. She was helping hold Belle up. 

He left the bathroom, entering the kitchen. 

He could make Belle breakfast. He’d learned how to cook on the ship. He started to pull stuff out of the fridge when the alcohol bottles caught his eye again. He walked over to them, reading the labels.

The first was the bottle he’d personally trashed. The Tequila. There was also a bottle of vodka, a bottle of Jack Daniels, and a bottle of something he hadn’t seen before. And he’d seen a lot of alcohol. Killian loved the stuff, and he had had a field day discovering this world’s alcohol when they arrived. But he had never seen this stuff.

He picked up the bottle. The label was halfway off. But he could still see what it was called. ‘Apple Dreams’. 

He didn’t like the sound of that. He wasn’t sure when she’d drank that bottle, but it wasn’t a very big bottle and the ingredients section had been torn off. 

But apples were his mom’s thing. And his mom didn’t do this. That much was obvious. It had to do with Mal.

If only he could figure it out. He dropped the bottles back in the trash before whipping up a breakfast for him, his mom, and Belle.

 

They made it to Mr. Gold’s shop with minutes to spare. Regina had offered to drive, as Belle was still incredibly uncoordinated and half-drunk. Plus, Regina and Henry now really needed to speak to Gold. 

When they arrived, the shop was already open. Regina had her arms around Belle’s shoulders, holding her up as Henry pushed the door open. Mr. Gold was standing at the counter, polishing something with a cloth. When he saw Regina holding Belle up, his eyes widened slightly. 

“Miss French, I do recall that I requested you work for me. I implied that you had to be sober when you did,” Mr. Gold said, but Henry could see the worry in his eyes. Belle waved him off.

“Sod off, why don’tcha? I didn’t wanna come in anyway,” Belle slurred. Henry winced. She had been more sober when she’d woken up. It seemed that the longer she was awake, the more the alcohol moved in her body.

It was unnatural. Killian never acted like that. Killian refrained from getting full-blown drunk. Most of the time. 

“Do you have a couch I can drop her on?” Regina asked. Mr. Gold nodded, pointing towards the back room. Regina helped Belle back there.

“What happened? Why is Regina here?” Mr. Gold asked Henry. Henry shook his head.

“She remembers the truth! Give Belle something to do so we can talk!” Henry suggested. Mr. Gold nodded, motioning towards a box full of jewelry.

“Grab that and carry it into the back room for me,” Mr. Gold ordered as he limped into the back room. Henry did so and followed him, dropping the box – gently – at Belle’s feet. She glanced down at it.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Jewelry. You’ll polish it. I’ve got things to do, so I can’t babysit you. I’m paying you to work, not lounge around,” Mr. Gold said firmly, handing her the cloth he had been using. She grumbled at him and – after three tries – took the cloth from his hands.

“She’s getting more drunk,” Regina said disdainfully.

“How? She hasn’t had anything to drink since she passed out last night,” Henry said, knowing that was true. He’d forced breakfast down her, only for her to throw it back up. She was dressed in the clothes he had laid out and had complained loudly a few times about them. 

“Passed out?” Mr. Gold asked, his eyebrow shooting up. Henry nodded.

“Other room?” Henry asked. Mr. Gold nodded and the three of them left Belle in the backroom.

“I think you should tell me everything that happened,” Mr. Gold said the moment they were out of hearing range of Belle. Henry shook his head.

“She got home last night and started drinking. She kept talking about how she was no one’s parent. It’s the curse. It made her feel things, so the curse made her drink it away. When I woke up, she wouldn’t wake up. I called Mom and she came. Then I remembered something Killian said about me and Emma being able to break the curse, so I kissed Belle and she woke up. This weird wave thing pulsed out, but it died after it hit Mom. Then she remembered and Belle woke up,” Henry said in one long breath. Mr. Gold stared at him.

“Does she remember?” Mr. Gold asked, gesturing to the other room. Henry shook his head, trying to ignore the crestfallen expression that appeared on Mr. Gold’s face. 

“But why is she getting more intoxicated?” Mr. Gold finally asked. 

“I think maybe she drank the other alcohol after that first bottle that was weird. Maybe it shut her body down, and when I woke her up it was still all inside her?” Henry suggested. 

“What weird bottle?” Regina asked sharply.

“Apple Dreams. It was weird. The label was half off, there was no ingredients list, and I’ve never heard of it and Killian tried all the popular alcohol he could find,” Henry said. 

“I’ve never heard of it either,” Regina said. 

“It must be something Maleficent cooked up,” Mr. Gold muttered, irritated. 

“Is that why it made her pass out?” Henry asked. Mr. Gold nodded.

“More than likely. I want to know how she got into Belle’s apartment to trade out the liquor though. I’ll keep her here today, keep an eye on her. I didn’t say this earlier, but it’s nice to see you again, Henry,” Mr. Gold said to him with a smile. Henry beamed right back up at him.

“It’s nice to see you again too. Take care of Belle!” Henry said. Mr. Gold nodded solemnly as Henry and Regina left the pawn shop.

“So, Mom, how’s things been here? What’s there to do for fun?”

 

Rose:

Her head spun as someone grabbed her shoulders.

“Shit! What is she doing here?” a masculine voice cursed.

“I don’t know! I didn’t know she would follow us!” Alice’s voice retaliated, almost panicking. 

“Well she did. Mr. Rabbit, can you return her?” the masculine voice asked again. Rose opened her eyes, then closed them abruptly. The world was spinning. 

“No. I don’t have enough power to open another portal. Not now, anyways,” a tinny voice said. 

“Why is the world spinning?” Rose asked, hoping she wasn’t interrupting the conversation.

“The world isn’t spinning. And neither are you. Open your eyes again,” the masculine voice said. Rose did as she was commanded, and the spinning slowed a bit. 

When the room finally stopped spinning, Rose realized they were in a room. A room filled with mirrors on the walls, and a tiny table in the middle of the floor. Alice, a rabbit – Mr. Rabbit – and the man that had been with Alice were staring at her.

“Is this Wonderland?” Rose asked dubiously. Alice laughed and shook her head. The rabbit agreed.

“This is the in between area. Wonderland is right through the glass. We wanted to wait til you were oriented to go there,” Mr. Rabbit said. Rose stared down at the rabbit, confused. It was talking. Why was the rabbit talking? 

“Why did you come with us?” Alice asked gently. Rose shook her head.

“I’m not from that world. I’m from another world. Not Wonderland. But I thought, somehow, maybe I could get to my home world, from Wonderland,” Rose admitted. Alice tilted her head. 

“What world are you from?” Alice asked. Rose shook her head.

“I haven’t the slightest. We nicknamed it Fairytale Land. We left when I was four. And I remember little from the land. But I do want to go there. See where I came from,” Rose said. She wished her parents were still there. But they weren’t. It seemed she had even longer to wait until she found her parents. 

“Well, we must get going. We’re late!” Mr. Rabbit exclaimed. Alice rolled her eyes at Rose, causing Rose to giggle. Although Alice looked to be around 25ish, she still seemed younger, closer to Rose’s age, if not physically then mentally. It felt nice, being around her. Rose decided she liked her. 

Rose followed alongside Alice to a certain mirror. Mr. Rabbit tried to walk into it but instead of passing through it (like Rose assumed he had been expecting to do) he slammed into it. He stared, shocked, at the mirror.

“This is the right mirror, isn’t it?” Mr. Rabbit asked the man. The man nodded, but he even looked a bit unsure.

“We came out this way. Why can’t we get back in?” the man asked. Rose stared at the mirror and tilted her head.

“It’s blocked from the inside. Someone doesn’t want you coming back,” Rose observed.

“And how do you know that?” the man asked sarcastically. Rose shrugged.

“I just do. I know things. Ask Alice. I told her the rabbit would come for her,’ Rose said. Alice nodded.

“She did. I thought she was making fun of me. But then it came true,” Alice admitted. Rose shared a smile with her. 

“If you know things, then how do you get in?” the man asked skeptically. Rose shrugged, staring at the door. She took a step closer, reaching out to run her fingers along the door.

When she did, the glass of the mirror exploded inward. Rose tentatively touched what appeared to be the mirror, only for her fingers to slip through the mirror.

“Let’s go!” the rabbit urged, pushing her through.

Alice and the man followed them, but Rose didn’t notice.

It was nothing like she’d pictured it would be, nor was it anything like the Disney movie portrayed it. The sky was a deep bluish grey color, almost dismal. Even the colors were dulled. She had been expecting bright colors everywhere. The abnormally tall grass was dying. So were the large mushrooms, which must’ve been colorful at one point.

“What’s happened here?” Alice asked in a hushed voice.

So it hadn’t always been like this. 

“It’s progressively gotten worse recently. Even when you came, Wonderland was dying. I don’t know what caused it,” Mr. Rabbit explained.

“The curse,” Rose whispered.

“What curse?” the man asked sharply. Rose shook her head.

“Someone in my land cast a curse to bring them to the land without magic, where we just came from. It must’ve affected this world too,” Rose mused.

“How long ago did this happen?” Mr. Rabbit asked. Rose shook her head.

“Um…eight years ago. Yeah. Eight,” Rose said, feeling more certain of her answer. Mr. Rabbit nodded.

“That’s about when this happened. Everything started fading ten years ago, when the Queen of Hearts just vanished. It left the Red Qeeen to take over the palace. While we all hated the Queen of Hearts, we hate the Red Queen even more,” Mr. Rabbit explained.

“The Red Queen?” Alice asked, confused. No one answered her.

No one answered her, because a caterpillar appeared on the mushroom next to them.

A caterpillar, smoking a hookah and wearing glasses. He was staring right at Rose.

“You.”

It’s all he said. He blew a smoke ring at them, causing Rose to cough. The caterpillar looked pleased, if caterpillars can look pleased. 

“What do you mean, her? I thought we were supposed to bring Alice?” the man asked, frustrated. Alice looked confused too.

“I thought we were coming here to find Cyrus?” Alice asked.

“Her. She is the key. But without Alice, she wouldn’t be,” the caterpillar said. Rose stared at him. And shook her head.

“This place is weirder than I thought,” Rose muttered. The man scowled at the caterpillar.

“We need to get going. It’ll be dark soon, and jabberwocky’s are not pleasant to run into at night,” the man said, trudging ahead with a certain sense of certainty. Alice and Rose had no choice to but follow him. Rose turned to Alice, ignoring the white rabbit that hopped along in between them and the man.

“Who is he?” Rose asked.

“The Knave of Hearts. I helped save his life, a long time ago. How did you open the mirror?” Alice asked in return. Rose shook her head.

“I don’t know. I have magic, but it’s never been anything physical. It’s always just been feelings. Knowledge,” Rose said. Alice offered a small smile.

“You’re in Wonderland now. Anything is possible here,” Alice told Rose, her tone almost reminiscent. 

“You have magic?” the man asked from the front. Rose was taken aback.

“Yeah. But I don’t know how to use any of the physical magic,” Rose retorted. The man snorted.

“Of course. We may’ve been lucky, finding someone with magic, but find out she can’t even use it. Useless,” the man said. Alice stuck her tongue out at the back of the man’s head, causing Rose to giggle.

“Don’t worry. I have a bit of magic. Not a lot, very little. I didn’t have any in the other world,” Alice said in a low whisper. Rose smiled at her.

It was odd. She hadn’t had a single friend in years, and in the last week or so, had made two friends. Only to lose one of them again. But now she was here with Alice. And the Knave of Hearts.

She wasn’t sure about the Knave of Hearts, but she had the idea that her and Alice would be the best of friends. 

That bit of knowledge was enough for Rose to push the uneasy feeling out of her mind, the feeling that hadn’t really left her since she ran into Alice before following her through the rabbit’s portal.


	23. Chapter 23

Belle:

Her head was finally starting to clear up. She still had a killer headache, but the haziness was starting to fade. Thank God.

It’d been a long time since Belle had been that drunk. It appalled her that it happened, and with Henry there as well. Regina explained to her, before she left with Henry, that Henry couldn’t wake her and they’d thought she’s slipped into a coma.

A coma. She didn’t even have the kid for twelve hours and she already drank herself into a coma. She was a lousy babysitter. It was a good thing she wasn’t a mother. She would fail at that too. 

“Have you finished that box?” Mr. Gold’s quiet voice asked. Belle glanced down at the box, realizing for the first time that it was almost empty. Her eyes scanned the bed she was laying on. She was surrounded by jewelry. 

Oh. Her lack of observational skills was not a good thing. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. There was nothing that taught humility quite like having your boss, the most powerful man in town, hold your hair back and dispose of your vomit repeatedly, all the while telling you to hurry up on the work you’re doing. 

Still, he even helped her place the jewelry back in the box before limping away with it. He came back, eyes scanning her.

“Do you think you could work in the front for awhile?” he asked her. Belle nodded, swallowing thickly as she stood and wobbily made her way to the front. She stopped when she caught her reflection in a mirror.

She looked downright atrocious. Her hair was knotted, her clothes wrinkled. Speaking of clothes….she was wearing a sports bra and a ratty t shirt and basketball shorts. No underwear.

Henry.

Belle all but blushed. Henry had picked out her clothes for her while she was too intoxicated to realize. And he had opted not to give her underwear. And it was almost obvious, considering the complete lack of underwear lines (one of the many reasons why she didn’t wear basketball shorts). 

She started back on her way into the main area when she heard Mal’s voice. Threatening.

“Mr. Gold, I don’t know what kind of games you think you’re playing, but Belle is not the type of employee to hire,” Mal was saying.

“Oh? Is it her criminal record, caused exclusively by you, or how she really doesn’t fear you? Few people possess that bravery,” Mr. Gold observed.

“Ha. Bravery? Miss French is the biggest coward I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting,” Mal scoffed. Belle glanced back in the mirror and smiled. She pinched her lips and cheeks quick, causing color to pool in her cheeks and her lips to appear bruised. She ruffled her bangs so they partially covered her almost bloodshot eyes. She slid the t-shirt off one shoulder and quickly shimmied out of the sports bra. She dropped that on the floor near where she was going to make her grand entrance.

“Gold, I can’t seem to find my panties or bra anywhere. You wouldn’t happen to have seen them…oh. Mal. Darling. How nice to see you?” Belle said as she walked out. Her feet tangled in her bra, causing her to stumble forward. 

Both Mr. Gold and Mal’s eyes were glued to her, both wide in horror. Belle grabbed onto Mr. Gold’s arm, giggling as she did. She bent down and picked up the bra.

“Silly me,” she murmured before tucking it into Mr. Gold’s jacket pocket. She was glad that Mal was watching her with bugged out eyes, because Mr. Gold’s expression would have given her ruse away.

“Souvenir,” Belle said with a wink. 

“Miss French, what are you doing here?” Mal barked, shaking the look off her face of pure horror. 

“Why, Madame Mayor, I work here. You know. Dusting the shop. Cleaning souvenirs. Keeping everything,” here, Belle raked her eyes over Mr. Gold’s body, not really looking at him but giving the appearance that she was, “ in tip-top shape,” she finished with yet another wink. Mr. Gold seemed to be recovering. Mal still wasn’t.

“I didn’t tell you you could leave the back, did I?” Mr. Gold asked coolly. Belle tilted her head with a smile.

“But we’ve already had all the fun we can have in the back,” Belle said. Mal looked appalled. 

“So what are you suggesting?” Mr. Gold asked. His eyes were twinkling now. The thought of messing with Mal seemed to have him excited. Belle stepped closer, her fingers trailing up to the top button of his suit jacket. She slowly undid the top button.

Mr. Gold’s eyes slid over to Mal.

“The door’s that way, dearie. Flip the sign on your way out. We’re gonna be busy awhile,” Mr. Gold told her. Mal snorted.

“Like I’d believe that. Miss French, you’re nothing but a con woman. If you think this will get the two of you out of this talk, you are sadly mistaken,” Mal retorted coldly. Mr. Gold shrugged, lifting Belle onto the counter in front of him. 

“Believe what you want to, but since I warned you, you cannot have either of us arrested for public indecency. And my shop is not public property,” Gold said as Belle started unbuttoning more of his jacket.   
She didn’t want to have sex with Gold, in his shop, on his counter, but if it pissed Mal off, she was willing to give it a try.   
“The two of you have been hanging around MY DAUGHTER much too often and it must stop,” Mal continued as Belle made quick work of the rest of Gold’s jacket. She slid it off his shoulders quickly before tearing through his dress shirt. She gave up on it quickly though, reaching for his pants instead. 

Mal was still continuing to talk of what they could not do. However, she stopped at the distinct sound of Gold’s zipper being undone. 

“What are you doing?” Mal asked rudely. Belle slid Gold’s pants down.

“Well, Mal darling, I’m fucking Gold like the whore you insist I am. Care to watch yourself be proved right?” Belle asked, her voice so filled with sarcasm that she almost didn’t recognize it. 

“You aren’t really going to fuck him. You’re just trying to get me to leave,” Mal said, irritated. 

She hadn’t been prepared for Gold to pull Belle’s basketball shorts off abruptly, revealing that she had not been lying about having no underwear on. 

Mal was out the door before Gold could even sit her back down on the counter. Belle laughed at the reaction. Score. 

“Stopping would just be stupid. What if she returned?” Gold whispered to her, his voice incredibly low, his breath almost ragged. Belle turned to see Gold looking rather undone. She’d never seen him any less than perfect.

It kind of turned her on. 

Belle’s lips twisted into a smirk.

“Well, I can’t say no to my boss, can I?” 

 

Emma

The station was quiet. Graham had allowed her to bring Ali with her to work that day. She planned on registering Ali for school the next day. Once Ali was in school, working would be easier.

It was still pretty easy. The girl was content to play with her dolls in the open cell Emma’d never seen being used. It was a slow day. Nothing had happened outside of Archie’s dog getting loose and scaring an elderly woman.

Until Mal stormed in, face deep red in anger.

“You must go arrest Belle French immediately!” Mal shouted at Graham. Graham nearly fell over in his chair as he tried to stand up.

“Calm down, Mal. What happened?” Graham asked. 

“She was FUCKING Mr. Gold in his shop right in front of me!” Mal complained. For a moment, Emma had to admire Belle. That was a pretty blatant move. It sounded like something Emma might’ve done, had she been placed in a similar situation.

Emma was really starting to like this Belle. 

“Now, that doesn’t sound like Belle,” Graham started, but Mal was all over him.

“It was very much like Belle! She’s been working for Gold all of two days and is already fucking him. I want her arrested for indecent exposure and improper relations with her boss. And prostitution,” Mal ordered, ticking off issues on her fingers. Graham rolled his eyes at Emma, who rolled her eyes back.

“Mal, I can’t arrest her for indecent exposure. It was at his shop. I’m sure he told you to leave first. And it’s not illegal to be in a relationship with your boss,” Graham pointed out.

“But prostitution is still illegal! He’s paying her to work for him, and she even implied that it included keeping his body sated. After all, why else would anyone hire her?” Mal said in disgust. Graham sighed, grabbing his jacket.

“Let’s go Mal. Emma, can you stay and make sure no trouble arises while I’m doing the Mayor’s bidding?” Graham asked. Emma nodded, glad Mal hadn’t seen Ali. She could only imagine how much hell Mal would raise if she saw Ali at work with Emma. 

They were barely out the door when Henry ran in, wide grin on his face.

“Emma! Guess what? I found my mom!” he said excitedly. Emma tilted her head.

“Your mom?” Emma questioned. Henry nodded enthusiastically. 

“Yeah! Regina! And she’s letting me live with her right now while August is getting stuff from New York!” Henry said happily. 

“Is something wrong, Henry, or did you just come here to talk?” Emma asked him, trying to sound polite. Henry tilted his head.

“No. Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to let you know. It’s the first step for Operation Cobra 2.0,” Henry said with a conspiring wink.

“Operation Cobra?” Emma asked. The words made her head hurt. Like a memory from a dream. Henry shook his head.

“No. Operation Cobra 2.0. We already had an Operation Cobra. I wanted to name this after that one, for good luck!” Henry exclaimed. Emma shook her head, trying to get whatever thoughts she was having out of her head. After all, Henry was 12. And he knew about this Operation Cobra. 

If it was truly a part of her past, he could’ve only been maybe two at the oldest when it happened. And he wouldn’t remember it if that were the case.

It was just another odd coincidence. One of many odd coincidences.

“Okay. I’ll bite. What exactly is Operation Cobra 2.0?” Emma asked.

“It’s our plan to get Belle and Gold together, break the curse, and then reunite their children with them!” Henry exclaimed. Emma leaned back in the chair, pinching the bridge of her nose. She hadn’t had enough coffee today for this.

“And why is it called Operation Cobra?” Emma asked, skeptical. Henry stared at her like she was dumb.

“Because we can’t let Maleficent figure out what we’re talking about!” Henry cried out. Emma couldn’t hold in the laugh at that.

“Maleficent? Okay. I could see that. Mal Ficent. So her parents had a thing for Disney villains. You’ve obviously been talking to Lacey too much kid,” Emma said. Henry frowned at her.

“Lacey has it wrong. We’re getting her the right book. You have to believe me! When I get the book, I’ll show it to you first!” Henry said. 

“Am I in this book, like I am the other?” Emma asked. Henry’s smile grew.

“Yeah. You could say that,” Henry said cryptically.

“And who am I? Am I the savior there too?” she asked. 

She had to admit. She had been curious. After Lacey had left her, she’d left the book in Emma’s car and Emma had read the entire thing. It was a load of crap. 

Even if some of it did seem achingly familiar. She must’ve had a copy of that book as a child. Maybe her birth parents had written the book. Who knew? 

“No. You’re my cousin,” Henry said. Emma openly stared at him.

“Well, actually you’re my niece, but since I was two years younger than you, we called each other cousins. My mother married your mother’s father and then after he died, she married my dad. So you’re my step-niece,” Henry explained. Emma’s mouth dropped.

“Kid, you’re crazy,” Emma finally sputtered out. 

“Who’s crazy?” Graham asked. Emma and Henry turned to see Graham escorting a very rumpled Belle in. She was wearing clothes Emma would have never imagined her in. And the shirt was halfway off her shoulders, revealing no bra. Her hair was incredibly mussed.

It looked like she just got done having some incredibly wild sex. And the glow in her cheeks didn’t help either. 

“Found her and Gold in the back. In the middle of it. Mal wouldn’t let me not arrest her,” Graham apologized. He stood her against the wall and took her pictures before locking her in a cell.

“Belle! What happened to your shirt?” Henry asked. Belle shrugged.

“It kinda got in the way. Look, kid, if you’re gonna pick out clothes for me again, I’ll show you what kind of clothes to pick out, okay?” Belle grumbled. Henry blushed slightly.

“Your other clothes kinda scared me!” Henry protested. Belle huffed.

“Why did Henry pick out your clothes?” Graham asked.

“She was very drunk,” Henry supplied, just as Belle was trying to cut him off. 

“Henry,” Belle said warningly.

“My Mom was helping her take a shower so we could get her to Gold’s and I picked out her clothes,” Henry elaborated.

“Your mother?” Graham asked. Henry nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah. Regina Mills,” Henry explained patiently. Graham shot an incredulous look at Emma, who merely shrugged. 

“I thought Gold gave you bail money for Belle,” Emma asked, hoping to switch topics. Graham nodded grimly.

“Yeah. He did. But Mal got me to charge her with prostitution. Bigger bail. And she’s required to stay at least twelve hours before bail can be posted,” Graham said, running a hand through his hair. Belle offered a smile to him.

“It’s okay Graham. You’re only doing your job,” she said to him sweetly. Graham smiled at her. 

“I know what you’re wanting. I don’t have time to get you different clothes right now. I’ll get you some right before bed,” Graham told her gently. 

“Oh! I still have your keys! Mom grabbed them, but forgot to leave them with you. Here they are,” Henry said, handing the keys to Graham. He smiled at the boy.

“I might as well make myself a copy of your key, with how much I have to go to your apartment for clothes,” Graham joked. Belle cracked a smile at him. Graham sighed and pulled his shirt off, tossing it into the cell to Belle. He was wearing a wifebeater underneath it.

“Put that on. You’re way too underdressed and the sheets aren’t in there yet because they need washed,” Graham said. Belle smiled at him and winked, causing Emma to laugh.

“I hope Mal comes by to see me wearing this. Your clothes really pissed her off last time,” Belle said.

“I’m sure they did,” Graham said with a smile.

“Emma, can you run to the diner and get us all lunch? I’d go, but since I’m short a shirt I think I’ll stay here. Plus I gotta through a load of laundry in. My spare clothes are dirty, and the sheets still need cleaned,” Graham said. Emma nodded, standing and picking up Ali.

“Same as yesterday?” Emma asked and Graham nodded.

“She wants a grilled cheese with bacon,” Graham added, pointing at Belle. He handed Emma money for the food and Emma left, Henry trailing right behind her.

“You know, I was watching TV with my mom today. They did something where they found out if someone was related by comparing hair from two people. If you don’t believe me, you can find out yourself. Get Lacey’s hair and Belle’s hair and get a DNA thing ran on them,” Henry suggested. 

“Kid, they aren’t related,” Emma said. Henry frowned and shook his head.

“No. Wait. You can’t use Lacey’s hair. Get some of Lacey’s blood or skin,” Henry suggested.

“Why can’t I get Lacey’s hair?” Emma asked.

“Because her hair is gold. Just like Rose’s is,” Henry whispered.

“Gold?” Emma asked skeptically. Henry nodded. Emma didn’t even ask. 

She wasn’t going to do it. 

 

But later that night, while she was still working at the station, she watched Belle run her fingers through her hair while sitting on the bare mattress. When she walked in to give Belle the sheets, she discreetly grabbed a few strands of the hair and pocketed them.

Just in case. 

 

Rose

They had been walking for what seemed like hours before the Knave decided they had covered enough ground to stop for the night. Rose was exhausted, as was Alice. The two had given up talking after awhile when it became too strenuous to talk and walk at the same time. They were deep in a forest now. And there was no sunlight, just a lamp the Knave had that he held out.

Lamp was a loose term. It looked horribly old-fashioned. Yet at the same time, achingly familiar. Rose hated all of these conflicting emotions. They threw her off.

“We need to sleep in the tree tonight. Jabberwockies tend to avoid climbing trees and if our scent is off the ground, they generally believe something else got us,” the Knave said, hoisting the rabbit onto a branch. The rabbit hopped himself up higher from that. The Knave then helped Alice up. Alice was able to do most of the climbing herself. 

The Knave turned to Rose, but Rose could see all of his distaste for her. It irritated her. What did she do to make him hate her so much? Heck, all she’d done was help them thus far! 

He was a moron.

And she wasn’t about to let a moron help her up the tree. When he offered his hand to her, Rose pointedly ignored it. The branch was obviously out of her reach, but she wasn’t about to have that stop her. Her fingers dug into the tree bark, creating small indents. She reached as high as she could, doing that there too. And she pulled herself up. 

When she got to the first branch, she couldn’t resist throwing down a smug smirk at the Knave, who was openly staring. He jumped up, grabbing onto the branch and hoisting himself up just as Rose tried to get to the next branch.

“Aren’t you a little flirt?” Alice teased her quietly when she got to the same level as Alice. The words echoed through her mind.

She’d been called a flirt before, sure, but this was different.

Her parents had called her a little flirt. As had many other people, when she was a child. She was sure of it.

“I’m not flirting. I’m proving I’m better than him,” Rose said, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a laugh as she said it. 

Unfortunately for Rose, the hair flip threw her off balance. She teetered off the edge of the branch. Naturally. Rose reached out blindly, grabbing onto something and pulling hard, slamming her into what felt like the side of the tree. Rose’s eyes were squeezed shut.

She opened her eyes hesitantly, only to met with a shirt. A shirt?

It wasn’t the tree. She’d grabbed onto the Knave. Of bloody course. 

“Rose!” Alice cried from above her, her voice frantic yet subdued all at once. Rose tried to disentangle her hands from the Knave’s shirt, but only managed to nearly fall once more in the process. 

“It looks like you need my help after all,” the Knave said with a smirk. Rose scowled at him, trying to separate herself from him. 

Only to realize that her legs had locked themselves around his legs.

Well. That would explain why she nearly fell when she tried to separate. Yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t will her legs to separate from him. It was as if she were paralyzed. 

She growled in frustration before closing her eyes, picturing herself three branches upward, the branch she had been reaching for before falling. She pictured her hand around the branch.

And just like that, her hand was around the branch. She opened her eyes, glancing down to see Alice, the Rabbit, and the Knave staring up at her in shock.

Hey. She could feel her legs now. Traitors. 

“How did you do that?” Alice asked. Rose shook her head.

“No clue. But it does make climbing much easier!” Rose joked. Alice chuckled as well, but her chuckles sounded more uneasy.

“Think you can make me appear a few branches up?” Alice joked. Rose tilted her head, thinking. Could she? It would be a cool trick, if she could. Rose stared at Alice for a moment before glancing up. 

When she looked back at Alice, the girl was gone. 

Rose’s eyes shot upward, finding Alice clutching the tree in shock. 

“Whoa,” she said. Rose smiled widely before magicking herself up next to Alice. 

“This high enough, Knave?” Rose called down with a smirk. The man himself was far beneath them. 

But they were still low enough that the branches were strong and many. Rose settled her down in the crook between two branches and Alice did the same. Only then did Rose lean over to glance back down and magic the Knave up to them.

He wasn’t too happy to be magicked up. But Rose ignored him and had the Rabbit magicked up as well. 

No one bothered to say anything and sleep came quickly with the disappearance of the sun.

 

Rose was awaken with the strangest sensation of someone watching her. Her eyes shot open, shocked to see a large cat hovering in the air in front of her.

“Who are you?” Rose asked the cat. The cat grinned at her. The grin creeped Rose out. What kind of cat grinned?

“What kind of cat doesn’t grin?” the cat asked. Rose glared at it. She hadn’t asked the question out loud. Of that she was sure. Stupid cat. She hated cats. 

“Do you have a purpose or did you decide I needed a living alarm clock?” Rose grumbled. The cat’s grin remained.

“I’ve come to see your magic, of course,” the cat said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“You’re out of luck, Mr. Cat, because I can’t really control my magic,” Rose said, irritated. The name she gave the cat knocked the grin right off of his face.

“My name’s not Mr. Cat. I’m the Cheshire Cat. And you can too control your magic. All it takes is believing that you can,” the cat told her. Rose scoffed at it.

“Oh yeah. And if I have enough faith, trust and pixie dust, I really can fly!” Rose said with fake excitement. The cat stared blankly at her. Rose sighed exasperatedly. 

“Sorry. Wrong Disney movie. You have no sense of humor,” Rose said.

It was only then that she realized how idiotic she sounded. She was talking to a grinning cat, a grinning PURPLE cat, that was floating in front of her.

But then again, she was in Wonderland. …

“So you seem to know so much. What all can I do?” Rose asked. The cat’s grin was back once more.

“You can do anything. Everything. Whatever you can think, you can do,” the cat said before it started to fade. Its eyes and grin were the last things, hovering in plain air before disappearing as well. Rose glared before settling back down for some more sleep.

 

The next time she was woken up, she was even less happy. The Knave decided it was time to move for the day and had roused her none too gently. 

Rose took no heed of what he said and magicked them to the ground. When they landed, Rose swayed slightly.

All magic comes with a price.

The words echoed through her head. Again she was hearing words she had heard before. 

It was a good thing she had no friends back home. They would think she was crazy.

The cat’s words came back to her as well. She could do whatever she could think. Well, she was hungry now. She wanted food. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

A moment later, she heard Alice gasp. Rose’s eyes peeled open and she was greeted by four bags of McDonalds and four cups.

That was what she had been thinking about. It was rather impractical, for McDonalds to be conjured up in another land without a McDonalds, but Rose was going to go with it. She picked up one of the bags and dug in, Alice following her example. The rabbit had no qualms with it either, but the Knave merely eyed it like it was poison.

“It’s food. Eat it,” Rose ordered. The Knave reluctantly grabbed the bag and started eating as well.

“You seem to be remembering an awful lot,” the Knave challenged.

“I am. I met the Cheshire Cat this morning. He told me I could do anything I could think,” Rose said. 

“Really?” Alice said excitedly. Rose nodded as well.

“Show me!” Alice demanded. 

“What should I do?” Rose asked. She wasn’t creative enough to do this on the spot. Alice pondered what she said for a moment. Alice glanced around then beamed.

“Make an apple tree grow. Right here!” Alice said, tapping her foot on the ground. Rose focused on a spot a few feet from where Alice was trying to convince her of, knowing it would be much better to not grow something directly under Alice. 

Rose bit her lip as she thought of what it would take to create a tree. Photsynthesis. Water. Sunlight. In her mind she combined the three with the imaginary seed and focused on the thought of it growing.

The tree broke ground, slowly growing taller as it did. Rose kept focusing. It was more difficult, growing a tree. She was trying to mold the tree as it grew, forcing the tree to go against nature. 

And hand landed on her shoulder, distracting her. Rose jumped.

So did the tree. 

One of the branches slammed into Alice hard, sending her flying into another tree. The tree stopped growing. Rose gasped and ran over to Alice. The side of her face that had hit the tree was bleeding. 

“Alice! I’m so sorry!” Rose cried. She reached out to try to help her up when she was shoved back by the Knave. He glared at her and blocked Alice from Rose’s sight.

The voice she’d heard was right.

All magic came with a price.

And it looked like her price right now was her friendship.

 

Wendy

The agency was not happy. They had been holding Alice for years, waiting. Then, all of sudden she disappeared. 

It was not good. It was especially bad that Neal and Rose had visited her the day before. It looked suspicious. And she didn’t want the agency suspicious. She wanted to take down Neal on her own. He was to be her case, the case that got her deserved fame. 

She still wasn’t sure what was with Neal, but she knew he was magic. Or related to magic. And Rose? There was something off about her. So much off about her. Wendy hated the teenager with a passion. She had discovered one of the things Wendy detested the most within the first five minutes meeting her and had exploited that since.

Neal never even noticed.

But Wendy could care less about Neal. The Agency had discovered a disturbance in Maine some years ago, and one prior to it in New York. The New York disturbance had led Tamara and Greg to finding Neal, Rose, and their other sister in the middle of a wooded area. 

Wendy knew it couldn’t be a coincidence like the Agency chalked it up to be. She knew better than to believe in coincidences. 

Wendy left the meeting and headed to see her great-grandmother in the nursing home. Her great-grandmother, who she was named after. The same great-grandmother who started up the Agency. The former Wendy Darling.

If anyone could tell her how to get closer to her goal, it was her great-grandmother.


	24. Chapter 24

Mr. Gold

He was furious. Completely and utterly furious. Mal had smiled oh so sweetly at him as she followed Graham out with Belle in handcuffs. 

So furious he grabbed his cane out and limped out of the store at an alarming speed, feeling the urge to beat something. Or someone.

Or raise rent.

Raising rent sounded good. 

He limped into the grocery store, the first place he saw that he owned. He slammed the door open, but before he could make his way to the owner, he noticed a bottle of something. Apple Dreams. 

It had magic.

And it reeked of Maleficent.

Without paying, Mr. Gold stormed out of the store, unpaid-for bottle in hand. No one dared stop him. 

He limped his way up to Maleficent’s steps, banging angrily on the door repeatedly until Maleficent pulled the door open, her own scowl matching his. 

“What the hell is this?” Mr. Gold demanded, thrusting the bottle at him. Mal glanced down at the bottle before the corner of her lips tugged upward in a smirk. An accomplished smirk.

“Looks like an alcoholic beverage. Probably Belle’s preference,” Mal said disdainfully. 

“No. This is poison. Magical poison. This is what Belle drank last night,” Mr. Gold said, furious. Mal tilted her head.

“Hm. So Belle got drunk last night while babysitting? How…irresponsible. Speaking of Belle, how’s jail treating her this time?” Mal asked. Mr. Gold scowled. 

He knew she’d done it. Now he just needed to keep Belle from drinking it anymore. And figure out exactly what was in it.

He was on his way to the jail to bail Belle out when he noticed Emma, Henry and Ali at the ice cream shop, laughing together. Looked like they were bonding just fine. 

He entered the jail. It was time for Belle to be free.

 

Rose

Alice was okay. At least, she assumed Alice was. The Knave still wouldn’t let her near Alice. When he was finally content that she was fine, he grabbed Rose’s arm and drug her far from the camp.

“What the HELL did you think you were doing?” he shouted at her, throwing her to the ground.

“I didn’t mean to! It was your fault!” Rose accused immediately, although she knew it wasn’t true. She should’ve had better control.

“No. You shouldn’t be using magic you can’t control! You could have killed her!” the Knave accused.

“Oh, and what would you do without your girlfriend?” Rose responded sardonically. 

“You idiot girl! She’s the key to saving Wonderland!” the Knave yelled. He slapped her hard, knocking her to the ground. Rose was instantly on her feet, ready to launch herself at him.

But she was stopped when he pulled her in and kissed her passionately on the lips. 

It took the breath out of her. And the fight. He pulled back, staring at her with wide eyes. 

“What was that?” Rose asked accusingly. The Knave shook his head.

“You must’ve cast a spell on me,” he responded, equally accusing. Rose shook her head, furious.

“You bastard! You’re the one who kissed me! What the hell?” Rose shouted. The Knave’s mouth opened, but he was cut off by Alice.

“Guys, you should come here. There’s a man here. He says he knows Rose,” Alice said hesitantly. The anger simmered down to a reasonable degree as the two walked tensely back to the camp area. 

Standing in the middle of the area was a man wearing a top hat. 

The name came to her head instantly.

“Jefferson!” she cried happily, launching herself at him. 

“The Mad Hatter. Naturally,” The Knave muttered angrily. Jefferson wrapped his arms tightly around Rose, pulling her close to him.

“Come on. It’s not safe in this area of the woods. Come with me to the abandoned Queen of Hearts’ castle. It’s the safest place,” Jefferson urged, leaving his arm around Rose as he led them away. She could feel the Knave’s heated glare on her back, and resisted the urge to stick out her tongue or glare back. Either option sounded highly satisfying, but she knew better. 

“Rose. It’s simply been too long. What are you doing in Wonderland?” Jefferson asked quietly.

“I followed Alice. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in the land without magic too?” Rose asked, confused. Jefferson shook his head.

“I wasn’t taken over. It kept me away from Grace,” Jefferson said.

“Grace,” Rose murmured. 

“Oh!” Rose exclaimed as she remembered.

“What’s wrong with your memories?” Jefferson asked. Rose shook her head.

“I think, when we went through the portal, we lost our memories. I’ve been gaining them back, but I don’t think Bae is gaining anything,” Rose admitted. Jefferson nodded, thoughtful.

But Rose was done paying attention. Lying on the ground in front of them, in the midst of the ruins, was a doll. A doll that looked achingly familiar. A Raggedy Anne doll. Her Raggedy Anne doll, the one her father had gotten for her. She walked forward alone, falling to her knees. She tentatively clutched the doll to her chest. She turned to Jefferson, who had recognized the doll as well.

“How did my doll end up here?” Rose asked, confused. Jefferson offered a sad smile.

“Some things were flung here when the curse hit. I saw that but couldn’t bring myself to touch it,” Jefferson admitted. But he reached into his knapsack and pulled out another familiar doll.

The doll that Grace had made for Alexandra. Rose smiled at the doll. 

“Wait. You know the Mad Hatter?” the Knave asked, confused. Rose smiled and nodded.

“He was Uncle Jefferson to me,” Rose admitted. Jefferson ruffled her hair affectionately. 

“I was her father’s best friend, before being cast to Wonderland,” Jefferson explained.

“We should get going. It’s getting dark,” the Knave interrupted rudely. Rose glared furiously at him and turned.

“So how’ve things been? I’ve remembered most of what happened as a kid. What happened after we…left?” Rose asked as they started walking. Jefferson sighed.

“How much do you remember of leaving?” Jefferson asked. Rose shook her head.

“I don’t really. I remember a blue light and being somewhere new. Bae said Papa abandoned us and took our Mama from us,” Rose recounted.

“That’s a lie. Do you remember Maleficent?” Jefferson asked. A shudder ripped itself through Rose.

“Yes,” she breathed.

“Maleficent disguised herself as the Blue Fairy and gave your brother a magical bean. Then he tried taking you and your sister and mother through it without your Papa. He was trying to keep all of you in our world, together, but you slipped. He fought and did whatever he could, afterwards, to get to you guys,” Jefferson explained. 

Rose felt furious.

“He lied to me! That bastard lied to me!” Rose shouted, unable to contain herself. Jefferson wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“I’m sure he was only trying to protect you. Come along. Let’s go.”

 

Storybrooke (Belle):

She had been working for four hours when Lacey appeared.

It was late, almost midnight. She was in the middle of a pool game when Lacey appeared, looking rather lost inside. When she spotted Belle, her smile grew and she skipped over to her. 

“Belle!” she cried out happily. The men surrounding the table all turned, confused.

“What’s the mayor’s kid doing here?” someone asked gruffly.

“Lacey, you need to go home!” Belle ordered. Lacey pulled up a bar stool and shook her head, smiling.

“I can’t walk home alone in the dark,” she reasoned. Belle nearly growled in frustration. She turned to the man she was playing.

“I’ve got to take her home. So I’ll only be able to finish the game. How much was the bet?” she asked, tired. The man held up a fifty and Belle nodded, positioning herself for her shot.

Two minutes later, she’d sunk all of her balls and the eight ball in. She collected her money and grabbed Lacey’s arm, pulling her behind her to the bar. The manager was working tonight, and looking none too happy to see Lacey.

“Belle,” she said, her tone warning.

“I have to take her home. I’m sorry. Here’s tonight’s money,” Belle said, slipping a few ones on top so the men wouldn’t catch what she was doing. The manager handed her a shot, which she quickly downed. She then slipped a few bills back to Belle.

“Look…this isn’t really working,” she said awkwardly. Belle’s heart dropped at the words, but she nodded.

“Okay,” Belle said softly, taking her coat from the manager. She starts to put it on, but after a quick glance outside, wrapped it around Lacey instead. It was storming quite badly outside. 

Belle took a deep breath and opened the door, bracing herself for the storm.

 

Emma:

The weather was absolutely atrocious. Henry was playing with Ali at the station while she waited for her shift to end. Graham was due in soon, but with the storm brewing, there was bound to be trouble. 

The door slammed open. A soaked blonde walked in, holding a ruined umbrella.

“Hi. I’m sorry, but I was walking home when the storm hit. Is there any way I can use your phone to call my husband?” she asked. Emma nodded, motioning to the phone. Henry’s eyes widened.

“Abigail!” he exclaimed. She glanced at him, tilted her head and shook it.

“Do I know you?” she asked. He frowned and shook his head, obviously frustrated.

“No. I guess you don’t,” he said. She smiled at him.

“Anyway, my name’s Kathryn. Kathryn Nolan,” she said. Emma’s eyes widened. It was the John Doe – David Nolan’s – wife. The same David Nolan her roommate was infatuated with.

Kathryn took the phone and dialed, but frowned.

“No one picked up. He must’ve been caught off guard too,” she mused. 

“My shift ends in about ten minutes. I can drive you home when I go,” Emma offered. Kathryn beamed at her.

“That would be amazing! I haven’t had a chance to talk to you since the night you found my husband. How are you enjoying Storybrooke?” she asked. Emma smiled.

“I love it. And so does Ali,” Emma said wryly. Kathryn glanced down at Ali and looked overjoyed.

“I love children. I haven’t had the honor of having one yet, but I hope I will someday,” she said wistfully. Emma nodded politely, not really wanting to get involved in what she knew would turn into a huge fight. 

Kathryn and Henry continued playing with Ali while Emma stared at the box on her desk. She’d found a sample of Lacey’s blood when the girl scraped her leg and kept it. She now had her blood and Belle’s hair. Henry’s words were rushing through her head. 

It was just a test. It would either come back positive or negative.

So why was she so worried about it?

She knew why she was so worried. If it happened to come back positive, it would prove that at least something Henry had said was correct. And that was not what she wanted to hear. Because if he was telling the truth about that, what else was he telling the truth about?

Those were dangerous thoughts. Fairytales. They didn’t exist. 

And she had to prove that. To Henry. To Ali. And most importantly, to herself.

When Graham arrived to relieve her, Emma sealed the box and placed the stamp on it, asking Graham to ship it immediately. 

She was going to learn the truth.

 

August:

He knew exactly where he was going. He didn’t want to go there, not unless he was desperate, but he was quite desperate now. He was lying when he told Bae that Rose would be fine in Wonderland. He knew she would be far from fine.

He made his way through Chinatown. He slid through a hidden entrance, sitting down in the waiting room. The Dragon would know he was there. He always did. The woman sitting next to him was incredibly old, her hair clinging to the red it used to be. August was surprised to be called in before her.

The Dragon was in the exact place he had been the last time August had visited. And he looked the same.

“Ah. Pinocchio. You’re back,” he said pleasantly. August nodded, sitting down across from him. 

“You know why I’m here?” August asked flatly. The Dragon nodded.

“I do indeed, but I am unable to do anything about it. At least, I am today. You want me to communicate with a girl in another land. Wonderland,” he said. August nodded, trying to keep himself from feeling unnerved. 

“Her name is Rose. She’s incredibly powerful. And she doesn’t know how to use it,” August tried explaining.

“And you do?” the Dragon questioned. August slumped in his seat.

“No. But she must be terrified,” August said. The Dragon offered him a smile. 

“This girl is stronger than you think she is. She’ll do fine. She has allies with her. Don’t forget it. Now. Why don’t you ask me what you came here for, before you learned of Rumplestiltskin’s missing daughter?” The Dragon asked. 

August was once more tongue tied. He’d never mentioned she was Rumplestiltskin’s daughter. Rumplestiltskin, according to this world, had no daughter. 

And that he knew August had planned to come here before? It was creepy. But that was why he was here, after all.

“Storybrooke,” was all August said. The Dragon nodded thoughtfully.

“Yes. Unfortunately, I cannot give you anything to make Emma believe. She must do that all on her own. Now go. I have an appointment with my fate,” the Dragon said, shooing him out.

August felt utterly dejected as he left. He was halfway out of the waiting room when he heard someone calling to him. It was the elderly woman he’d been sitting next to. She was pointing at the floor, where his wallet had fallen out.

“Thank you,” August said, grateful. She smiled a toothy grin at him. She had to be at least 100 years old.

“No problem. I would’ve picked it up, but I don’t think I’d have been able to get back up,” she said with a laugh. August laughed alongside her.

“No. I doubt you would’ve,” he said with a smile. She tilted her head.

“You’re not from around here, are you? Your accent is…different,” she said. August nodded.

“I spent quite a bit of time on an exotic island. I’m told I picked up the accent,” August said, his usual cover for his accent. After all, he couldn’t say he came from Fairytale Land. 

“No. I’d say it’s out of this world,” she said, all knowing. The look she gave him unnerved him, more so than the Dragon had. She stood slowly.

“It’s my turn, I suppose. It was nice meeting you,” she said politely. August nodded.

“Yes. I’m August Booth. How rude of me,” he said, realizing suddenly his lack of manners. The woman smiled once more, only this was a smile of knowledge.

“I’m Wendy. Formerly Wendy Darling,” she said. 

August was already out the door before he realized what exactly she’d said.

If she was Wendy Darling, did that mean she was THE Wendy Darling, from the Peter Pan story? How much of that was true?

When he went back to the Dragon later that night, hoping to ask that question, he found the Dragon dead, looking as if he had been struck by lightning. No. A Taser. 

He left quickly, shakily. 

Someone knew how to kill magical creatures. 

He needed to get back to Storybrooke. He couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that this all had something do to with Wendy Darling.

And he surely didn’t want to have a run in with Peter Pan. He’d heard enough horror stories from Henry about Peter Pan that he wasn’t about to stick around anyone with the name of Wendy.

That would be testing fate, after all.


	25. Chapter 25

Belle:

The storm looked much better from inside the bar than it did outside. She could barely see in front of her. How Lacey got there was beyond her. Belle held Lacey close to her, knowing that if she lost Lacey in this she wouldn’t be able to find her again.

They had been quickly wandering for awhile before Belle realized they were in woods.

“When did we enter the woods?” Belle yelled, hoping Lacey would be able to hear her over the roar of the wind and rain.

“I don’t know!” Lacey yelled back. Belle had no clue where they were, and despite the tree cover, they still couldn’t see much. At least, Belle couldn’t.

“Look! There’s a cabin up there!” Lacey cried happily. Belle had to grab her arm before she ran off.

“Stay with me!” Belle ordered. They started walking in that direction, but no cabin appeared. 

“What cabin?” Belle asked after awhile. Lacey continued to point ahead.

“It’s there! Trust me!” she said. The wind was picking up and Belle was wishing she was wearing a jacket. The rain pelted her skin violently, leaving welts and possibly bruises. She slammed into a tree as well, feeling rather dizzy when her head connected with it. Lacey tugged her on though.

It took what felt like forever, but finally Belle could see the cabin Lacey had been so adamant about seeing. When she did see it, she almost broke down crying. It was a beautiful sight, seeing shelter. She didn’t even think that someone may live there. Or that the door would be locked. 

Her and Lacey all but ran up to the cabin. Belle started banging on the door, hoping someone would answer. Within a few seconds of her beating on the door, the door was yanked open to reveal Mary Margaret and David Nolan, both appearing happy and out of breath.

“Belle?” Mary Margaret asked, pulling the two of them inside.

“Lacey? What are you two doing outside in this?” Mary Margaret asked in concern.

“Lacey appeared at the bar and I left to bring her home. We got lost. Do you have a phone I could use to call Mal and let her know Lacey is safe?” Belle asked. Mary Margaret regretfully shook her head, just as David patted his pockets and came back empty. Belle sighed.

“Great. Kid, you’d bettered hope this storm doesn’t last too long or I’ll be back in prison for kidnapping,” Belle said before a wet cough ripped itself from her. 

“You two are soaked. David, can you look for a blanket or some clean clothes they can borrow? They’re going to get sick,” Mary Margaret said, ushering them to the bathroom. Belle insisted on Lacey showering first to get warm and waited, shivering, for her to finish.

“We’ll make sure she doesn’t arrest you again,” Mary Margaret promised quietly. Belle sighed and shook her head. 

“She’ll arrest me again for something, no doubt. That’s not what I’m worried about. Despite everything, I think Mal does care about Lacey. If I had a child, I would want to know she was safe if I couldn’t find her in the middle of a storm,” Belle explained. Mary Margaret nodded knowingly at the statement. 

“Is this your cabin?” Belle finally asked. Mary Margaret’s eyes widened and she shook her head, as did David.

“We found it, just like you did,” she said. Belle groaned at the words.

“So we are trespassing, breaking and entering, and kidnapping,” Belle ticked off her current offenses.

“Calm down. You aren’t really,” David tried saying but Belle shook her head.

“I’m arrested on suspicion of everything. Trust me when I say that technicalities don’t matter,” Belle shot back. Just as she noticed an old-fashioned telephone in the back of the cabin. She rushed for it, pulling it off the hook. To her delight, she heard a dial tone. 

“Kid, what’s your mother’s number?” she asked. Lacey quickly recited the number and Belle dialed quickly. Mal picked up at the first ring.

“Hello?” she said anxiously.

“Hey. It’s Belle. Lacey’s safe,” Belle said quickly. 

“What the hell is she doing with you?” Mal barked instantly. Belle winced but held her ground. 

“She showed up at the bar. I went to walk her home and on the way we got lost in the woods,” Belle said. Before she could utter another word, the power in the cabin went out. As did the signal. Belle cursed.

“What?” Mary Margaret asked.

“She’s going to think we’re still lost in the woods. And send out a search party,” Belle cursed once more. 

“She wouldn’t do that,” Mary Margaret said, but her voice didn’t hold much assurance. 

“Yes. She would,” Belle said regretfully.

“But she knows I’m safe,” Lacey piped up.

“She knows I said you’re safe. But I also said we’re lost in the woods,” Belle corrected her. 

“I’m tired,” Lacey said instantly. David held up a lighter that illuminated his face.

“I was going to start a small fire. We can sleep by the fire. If the power comes back on, we’ll call Mal immediately,” David promised. Belle smiled at him, but he couldn’t see it.

Ten minutes later, a lovely fire was going but the power was still out. The four of them curled up on the floor in front of the fire, wrapped in blankets and trying to sleep as the wind howled outside the cabin and the rain battered on the roof.

 

Rose:

They made it to the castle a lot faster than Rose expected, with no interferences. It made Rose antsy, knowing everything was going as they planned it. She felt that Wonderland was a place where even the most carefully crafted plan went to hell in a hand basket, and it made her uncomfortable to know that nothing had gone wrong. 

Jefferson led them to a room. A room brimming with hats of all kinds.

“Jefferson?” Rose asked, unsure.

“The Mad Hatter,” the Knave muttered to Alice. 

“What’s with all the hats?” Alice asked finally, asking the question everyone was wondering but no one was truly brave enough to ask.

“When I was brought here, I tried desperately to make a hat like my own. A hat that could take me back to our world, where Grace was,” Jefferson explained.

“A hat like your own?” Rose asked, puzzled. Jefferson stared at her for a moment before realization flashed through his eyes.

“Oh. You were too young to hear of it. My top hat was a portal. I could travel between words with it,” Jefferson said. Rose had a feeling there were more details, but she allowed him to keep it short, sweet, and to the point.

“Anyways, none of them could work because I didn’t have magic. But you do,” he said. Rose tilted her head.

“So you want me to make you hat?” she asked. He nodded quickly.

“If you make me the hat, we can go home,” Jefferson said, his eyes gleaming. Rose took a step back.

“I can’t go home yet,” she said.

“Yes you can,” the Knave said quickly, almost hopefully.

“You’re a bastard, you know that?” Rose spat angrily. Alice pushed her way in between them – when did they get that close – and kept them apart.

“Guy! Rose, you can make the hat now, but you guys don’t leave yet. It’ll offer a great escape route if anything goes wrong,” Alice compromised. Neither the Knave nor Rose were completely happy, but it was enough of a compromise that both agreed.

So Rose sewed. And cut. And stitched. And did exactly what Jefferson instructed, all the while the Knave snickered at her with each prick of her finger and each curse that followed Jefferson’s order to redo a stitch. 

When she’d finished, Jefferson stared at it. He picked it up and frowned, handing it back to her.

“Give it magic,” he told her.

“Excuse me?” Rose asked. 

“Give it magic. It’s just a plain hat right now,” Jefferson retorted. Rose shook her head.

“I don’t know how to do that!” she protested. Jefferson sighed and placed the new hat on his head, dropping the old one.

“Oh well. It was a nice try,” he said, trying to muster up his energy.

“Can we retire for the night? I’m getting sleepy,” Alice asked. Jefferson nodded quickly.

“Yes of course! I’m sorry,” he apologized swiftly, leading them out of the creepy hat room. On the way out the door, Rose stops and grabs a hat. She places it on her head, catching sight of herself in a mirror. She looked positively ridiculous. She giggled slightly, dropping that hat and replacing it with a hat that looked just like the one she’d made for Jefferson. 

She was about to remove it as well when she heard a scream. She darted out of the room, hat still on head, just in time to see a woman dressed in a red slutty outfit grab Alice. The Knave was pulling a sword from his waist – where the hell did he get that from? – but the woman merely laughed at him. 

“Hey! Let go of my friend!” Rose shouted, ripping the hat off her head. She flung the hat as hard as she could at the woman, shocked to see the hat spinning and flying with deadly precision.

The woman and Alice disappeared just before the hat would have hit its target. The hat hit the wall, embedding itself deep in the wall. Jefferson hurried over to the wall, pulling the hat from it and examining it carefully.

“Well. You sure put some magic in this hat. I don’t think it’s the kind of magic I want in my portal hat though,” Jefferson said, trying to joke. The Knave wasn’t having any of it.

“She has Alice. The Red Queen has Alice!” he cried. 

“She was the Red Queen? I thought she’d look more…menacing,” Rose admitted. The Knave glared at her.

“No. And because you scared her away, I have to hope I can get there in time before she kills Alice. No thanks to you,” the Knave spat. Rose glared at him.

“I was trying to SAVE Alice!” she cried out in frustration.

“You did a fine job,” The Knave shot back sarcastically as he slid his sword back into the scabbard she now noticed. Once it was sheathed, he started down the hallway.

“Where are you going?” Rose called out after him, her curiosity overcoming her frustration and anger.

“To rescue Alice. Alone. All you’ll do is slow me down,” he retorted, not even bothering to turn around. Rose’s blood boiled, but before she could go after him, Jefferson placed his hand on her shoulder.

“I know you want to rescue your friend, but you need some sleep. Let him go after her. After all, you can get there faster than he can, if you get enough sleep to control your magic,” Jefferson told her. Rose reluctantly nodded and followed him as he led her to a bedroom.

Not that she was really going to get any sleep that night.

 

August:

He was just about to exit New York City when his motorcycle broke down. He cursed his bad luck, wondering how he was supposed to get back now. The book was sent. He just needed to get back. 

“Need any help?” a woman asked him. He turned to see a woman with curly red hair and the friendliest smile. A smile he didn’t trust.

“No. I’m good,” he said. The woman shook her head.

“No. You’re not. I can give you a ride somewhere,” she offered. He wanted to refuse again, but knew it wouldn’t sound logical. He sighed, resigned and nodded. He climbed into her car and she started driving back into the city.

It didn’t take long before he realized he’d forgotten to tell her where to drop him off.

“Just take me to the airport,” August said. The woman flashed him a smile.

“Of course,” she said, but August felt instantly uneasy. 

Especially after he saw the airport pass them by.

“That was the airport,” he said awkwardly. She nodded.

“I know.”

“I asked to be dropped off at the airport,” August tried. 

“You really should be careful who you get into a car with, August,” she said. August’s blood ran cold. He tried to pull the door open, but the lock was down and for the life of him he couldn’t pull it up. 

Then, everything went black.

12345678908764321234678987654321

When he regained consciousness, he was tied up in a dark room. He looks around quickly, but sees nothing.

Until the lights turn on. The woman from before is standing in there, along with an African American woman and a man who looks to be around fifty. 

“Hello August,” the woman he’d met said. 

“I don’t believe we’ve been acquainted,” August spat, tugging at the ropes. The woman sighed, walking around him in a circle while fingering a black box in her hands.

“No. I don’t believe we have. My name’s Wendy. You met my grandmother yesterday,” she said. 

“Yesterday?” August asked. Wendy nodded.

“Yes. You’ve been unconscious for awhile. Shame, really. We’ve been waiting to talk to you,” Wendy said. 

“Aren’t I special?” August asked sarcastically. 

“These are my friends, Greg and Tamara. Do you know why we’ve captured you?” Wendy asked him. August didn’t respond.

“Not speaking. Pity. We captured you because we discovered your secret. You don’t belong in this world,” Wendy said.

“I don’t?” August asked her. She shook her head.

“You don’t. This organization works on ridding the world of evil. Like you. Not specifically you, but the people you’re trying to protect,” Wendy explained. August’s blood ran cold.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” August said.

“No. I don’t suppose you would. Ten years ago, nearby, there was a disturbance. A large one. And right before we were to set fire on contaminated woods, three kids appeared in the middle of it. We’ve kept an eye on those kids for the last ten years. Except the youngest. The youngest disappeared off our radars. A few years later, another large disturbance appeared. We were unable to figure out who came from it, but we’ve concluded that you did. You and…well, you and someone with magic,” Wendy explained. August felt chills erupt over his body.

“We know you know where both are. The one who came over with you, and the little girl. Where are they?” Wendy asked angrily. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” August said. Wendy circled him once more.

“Then what about Rose?” she asked. August stiffened even more.

“Yes. I know about Rose. Hate the brat. But she disappeared. Where to? And where did Alice go?” Wendy asked, furious.

“Alice? Probably to Wonderland,” August responded snidely before he could stop himself. 

His world went black once more.

 

Wendy:

“Damn,” Tamara cursed as Greg knocked August out. 

“Damn is right. I was hoping for more cooperation,” Wendy said with a sigh.

“Now what?” Greg asked.

“We rough him up a bit when he comes to. Give him one last chance and if he doesn’t respond, we’ll tase him like we did the Dragon,” Tamara said.

“No!” Wendy said quickly.

“No?” Tamara asked, blinking at her. 

“No. We’ll keep him here awhile. Then we’ll let him go,” Wendy said.

“We aren’t just going to let him go! He’ll warn everyone,” Tamara protested.

“No he won’t. Not if he ‘escapes’. He’ll run right back to where the others are hiding. And then we’ll be able to find them,” Wendy said with a smile. The other two smiled as well.

“Brilliant,” Tamara said.

“Not quite. We need something more,” Greg mused. He snapped his fingers.

“I know! We can inject him with something. Something that, with the push of a button will kill him. So if it looks like our plan isn’t working, we can get rid of him,” Greg said. 

“Brilliant. Now I have to go. Neal’s going crazy,” Wendy said. Tamara snorted.

“Why are you still with him? I thought you said the magical brat is gone,” Tamara asked. Wendy nodded.

“She is. But she’ll come back to him, I’m sure of it. I can deal with his idiocracy for awhile longer. Then we can kill him as well,” Wendy said. 

Wendy walked out of the place and headed back to Neal’s place. She had stopped by to see her grandma earlier that day. She was still doing excellent, despite her old age. It was as if Wendy Darling couldn’t die. 

Wendy thought about her grandmother as she parked. Her grandmother had told her stories of how her two brothers had been kidnapped by Peter Pan when she was younger. How John had returned, scarred and broken years later, but Michael never made it back. 

And how, because of that, they were now able to rid the world of that evil.

She knocked on Neal’s apartment door. He opened it but before he could say anything, his phone rang.

“Hello? Rose?” Neal asked anxiously. After a moment, he pulled the phone back and stared blankly at it.

“Huh. No one’s there,” he said, hanging up quickly.

“Who was that?” Wendy asked. Neal shook his head.  
“I don’t know,” Neal said. He looked at the number.

“The area code’s from somewhere in Maine though,” he said. Wendy allowed him to pull her into his arms and hold her close, despite how much she hated him.

Soon, she’d be able to give up this whole charade and be free of Neal forever.

Emma:

She was woken up by someone pounding on the door. Making sure she didn’t wake up Ali, Emma hurried and answered the door. Graham was standing there, soaking wet and looking anxious.

“Graham? Are you alright?” Emma asked. Graham shook his head.

“It’s Mal. Apparently Lacey and Belle are lost in the woods,” Graham said. 

“What?” Emma asked sharply. Graham nodded grimly.

“Yes. Normally we wouldn’t risk this. But she’s the mayor and will fire us. Plus, there’s two of them out there. And Kathryn called awhile ago and said her husband still wasn’t home,” Graham said. Emma’s blood ran cold.

“Hold on a minute,” she said, rushing up the stairs to Mary Margaret’s room.

It was empty.

“Mary Margaret’s gone too,” Emma said as she tugged on her coat. She froze in the doorway, glancing back at Ali.

“I can’t leave her,” Emma said. Graham whipped out his phone quickly.

“Regina?” Graham said. There was silence.

“Can you come over to Mary Margaret’s apartment please? I know it’s late, but Emma and I have to go searching for four missing persons and we can’t bring Ali with us. Yes, you can bring Henry,” Graham hung up quickly.

“Regina will be here in a few minutes. Leave the door unlocked,” Graham said. Emma nodded and followed him out quickly.

“Do we have any idea where they are?” Emma asked. Graham nodded solemnly as they drove slowly through the rain. They couldn’t see but two feet in front of them on the road. 

“Yeah. Belle and Lacey were leaving the bar and got lost in the woods. So if we start out by the bar we may be able to find them,” Graham said.

“Wait. We’re really going to go out there, in the woods, in the middle of this?” Emma asked in disbelief. Graham nodded.

“We are. We have to.”

 

Hours later, the storm was no closer to relenting and they were no closer to finding the four missing people. 

“Look! There’s a cabin up there!” Emma shouted, pointing ahead. Sure enough, a cabin was visible, somehow, in the distance. Graham and Emma made a run for it, afraid the rain would pick up once more and they’d lose sight of it.

However, halfway to the cabin, they heard a sickening crack. Lightning illuminated the sky as a tree in front of them snapped in half. One half of the tree was falling their way. Emma leapt out of the way. A loud thud reverberated through the forest. Emma looked back over her shoulder and her heart stopped.

Graham was lying under the tree. It had struck him as it came down. Emma scrambled to her feet, rushing over to him. She fell to the ground in front of him, cupping his face.

“Graham?” she cried. Graham’s eyes remained closed. She tugged on him, pulling him out from under the tree despite knowing that she wasn’t supposed to move him. Still he didn’t move. He had no pulse. No breath.

He was dead.

Emma cradled him in her arms, crying. The cabin was right there. So close. They’d almost made it to the cabin. She stood and ran the final few steps to the cabin, pounding on the door. It was ripped open quickly by a teary-eyed Lacey. Lacey threw herself into Emma’s arms, bawling her eyes out. 

Emma noticed that Mary Margaret, David, and Belle were all getting to their feet and rushing forward.

“What’s wrong Lacey? Emma? What are you doing here?” Mary Margaret asked, confused. 

“Graham’s dead!” Lacey sobbed. 

“What?” Belle asked, shocked. She stepped backward, nearly tripping on the floor. Her eyes were wide, horrified. 

“Please. He’s right out there. Can you bring him in here?” Emma asked. David and Mary Margaret rushed outside and came back a few minutes later carrying the body of Graham. 

“What happened?” David asked, shaken.

“I-I…” Emma said, not trusting herself to speak.

“Lightning struck a tree and it fell on him!” Lacey cried, her face still buried in Emma’s shirt.

“You saw it?” Mary Margaret asked, horrified. Lacey nodded, pulling back slightly and wiping her eyes.

“I was awake. I made a phone call and I was about to call Mom and let her know we were safe when I looked out the window. And saw it,” Lacey said. 

“I’ll call Mal,” Mary Margaret said, quickly going for the phone. David flicked a light switch on, sighing in relief when light flooded the room. Mary Margaret was talking quietly on the phone with the mayor. 

As she did, the storm outside was letting up. Emma watched as it turned into a light rain as opposed to the torrent downpour it had just been. As if the storm’s sole purpose was to take Graham’s life.

Belle was staring at Graham’s body, almost looking lifeless herself. Emma forced herself to stop crying.

“The weather’s letting up. We need to go. Now. Before it starts again. Everyone’s worried,” Emma announced. 

“We aren’t going to leave him here, are we?” Belle asked quietly. Emma shook her head.

“No. Mary Margaret, David, and I will carry him. Come on. Let’s hurry,” Emma urged. Lacey reluctantly let go of her and clung to Belle. 

The five of them made it to the police car and climbed in, Belle and Lacey in front and Mary Margaret and David holding Graham’s body. They made it to the hospital first, dropping off the body and explaining what’d happened. Everyone was examined as well, and Belle was given medicine as she was going into shock. Lacey was also given some medicine to calm her down, and surprisingly, everyone else was fine. Emma dropped David off first and then Lacey. Then she dropped off Belle and her and Mary Margaret headed home.

Emma hoped that, when she fell asleep, she’d see something other than Graham’s lifeless eyes.

 

Belle:

When she got to her apartment, she was halfway through unlocking it when the owner showed up.

“You need to pack up your things. We’re evicting you,” he said. Belle’s heart dropped.

“What?” she asked, not believing it.

“You heard me. The only reason we let you stay was because of Graham. He got you the apartment. He signed a contract with us. But we just got a call saying he was dead. You have ten minutes to gather what you can carry,” he said. 

“But I’ve paid my rent on time!” Belle cried. The man shook his head.

“Nine and a half minutes,” he told her. Belle let out another cry before rushing in her room. She shoved clothes into a suitcase and any other essentials. She found her emergency cash and tucked that in a backpack, along with some of her prized novels and treasured belongings. She had barely finished when she was told to get out.

Belle trudged through the light rain to Granny’s inn. She knew Granny and Ruby both would be asleep at this time. She settled herself on the corner of the deck, hoping she wouldn’t get arrested for sleeping on the porch for the next two hours.

Her last thought before she drifted into unconsciousness was that she couldn’t get arrested. After all, Graham was dead.

Her only real friend was dead.


	26. Chapter 26

Gold:

He was beyond frustrated. He was pissed. He understood that last night had been a terrible storm. He understood that it was seven-thirty in the morning. But that didn’t mean Belle had the right to just not show up to work when she was supposed to. He started to dial her number, until he realized in irritation that he had never gotten a phone number from her. 

He flipped the sign on his door to closed and limped angrily down the sidewalk. He needed tea. Fast. Or he was going to go murderous. 

He limped into Granny’s and slid into a booth, mumbling angrily to himself. Ruby glanced at him before slowly making her way to him.

“Earl Grey tea. Now,” Mr. Gold muttered angrily before she could even say anything. She huffed away, but at least had the intelligence to huff away quickly. He scowled at the wall until she returned with his tea. He took one sip and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Ruby was still standing there. Her expression had changed slightly.

“I know you’re not one for gossip, Mr. Gold, but did you hear the news?” she asked, her voice low.

Her words went right through Mr. Gold. For a second he was horrified. What if Belle didn’t come to work because something happened to her? Oh God. What if she was dead? He hadn’t even considered that!

“Graham died last night,” Ruby whispered. Her words shot right through them. He was relieved. Belle wasn’t hurt. 

He was relieved, that is, until he remembered how close to Graham Belle had been. He turned in his seat more towards Ruby, about to ask her if she knew how Belle was, when he saw her.

Belle.

She was huddled in a booth in the corner of the store, wrapped in a blanket, hair a mess. And she was shaking slightly. Ruby’s eyes followed his and she shook her head sadly.

“We found her on the doorstep to the inn this morning when we woke up. She was soaked and shivering. Granny escorted her into here, and then heard the news about Graham. She hasn’t had the heart to say anything to Belle yet, or ask her to leave,” Ruby said lowly. 

“Did she say anything?” Mr. Gold asked, alarmed. Ruby started to shake her head, but stopped.

“She asked for a drink. An alcoholic drink,” Ruby recalled. She shook her head as she said it.

“Granny wouldn’t let me give it to her. Said she couldn’t bear allowing the girl to poison herself anymore,” Ruby said. She shook her head once more and started walking away.

“Wait! What drink did she ask for?” Mr. Gold asked. Ruby shook her head.

“She asked for Apple Dreams. We don’t serve it. But apparently Granny serves it to Belle and Belle alone. I’ve even seen her slipping it in her other drinks before, but I’m pretty sure that was on request,” Ruby said before walking away. 

Apple Dreams. The poison. Just how often had Belle been slipped it? Granny wouldn’t do that to her, he knew. She had to be being controlled by someone. By Mal. 

Mr. Gold stood up and gripped his tea in one hand as he limped over to the table Belle huddled at. She looked up, wide-eyed, when he sat down. He pushed his tea over to her. Belle stared down at it blankly.

“Drink some. You need something to wake you up,” he said gruffly. With a very shaky hand, Belle reached out and brought the tiny cup to her lips. 

“You’re a mess,” Mr. Gold observed when she put the cup down.

“You don’t look so lovely yourself,” Belle retorted drily. Mr. Gold didn’t even bother to hide his smile. She was responding. That was a good sign.

“What happened to you? Ruby says they found you on their doorstep?” Mr. Gold inquired. Belle tilted her head at him.

“I didn’t want to wake them up at four in the morning,” Belle said.

“Why would you need to wake them up that early?” Mr. Gold asked, intrigued. 

“Because after we brought back Graham’s body, the landlord learned that he was dead and told me I had ten minutes to pack my things and get out,” Belle said, her voice apathetic. Mr. Gold’s anger rose.

“He did what?” Mr. Gold asked, angry. Belle shrugged.

“Apparently the only reason he allowed me to live there was because of Graham. I think Graham helped pay my bills without me knowing it. So the moment he knew Graham was dead, he kicked me out,” Belle said.

“He can’t do that,” Mr. Gold said adamantly. Belle shrugged, taking another drink of his tea. Her shaking hadn’t stopped, but she looked a bit better.

“He just did.” Her answer was so matter of fact it infuriated him. But he bit back his anger.

“You didn’t show up for work this morning,” he said, trying to change the subject.

“I lost my job,” she said glumly. 

“I didn’t fire you,” Mr. Gold said, confused. Her head shot up.

“Oh. Yeah. That job. Sorry,” she muttered. 

“You got fired last night too?” he asked, cursing internally. It had obviously not been her night. She nodded.

“Lacey showed up at the bar during the storm and I was fired cause I had to walk her home. We got lost on the way home. Then, while looking for us, Graham was killed by a falling tree,” Belle said, her tone monotonous as she summed up her night.

“And you guys came back and you were evicted?” Mr. Gold added. She nodded. 

“Where do you plan on living now?” Mr. Gold asked her. Her head shot up. That question obviously hadn’t flickered through her head yet. He could tell. He could also tell she didn’t have the money to live at Granny’s indefinitely. She didn’t even have to say anything.

“You know, I have about five empty spare rooms. If you wanted, you could stay with me,” Mr. Gold offered before she came up with some bullshit answer of what she was going to do. She stared openly at him.

“Stay with you?” she asked dubiously. 

“Yeah. If someone asks, you can claim you’re my housekeeper,” Mr. Gold said. Belle shook her head.

“That pretty much translates into whore,” Belle told him. Mr. Gold flinched. 

“That’s not what I’m asking of you,” he said quickly. She nodded and flashed him a brief but genuine smile.

“I know,” she murmured. He stood up and held out his hand to her.

“Come on. You look like you could use a shower and a bed for a few hours of rest before you do anything else,” he said. She stared at him for a moment before tentatively smiling and taking his offered hand. 

She was still shaking when they got to his house.

“Are you cold?” he asked. She shook her head.

“I just feel really shaky. And antsy,” she admitted. Mr. Gold’s blood ran cold. 

“How often do you drink anything at Granny’s?” he asked, worry seeping into him. 

“I always start out there with tea. Or something stronger. Depending on the day. And I come back at lunch, and halfway through the afternoon. I usually stick to drinking at the bar after that,” she said. She scrunched up her nose.

“The hot chocolate they gave me this morning tasted funny,” she admitted. Mr. Gold was infuriated. Not only had they been giving her the poison, but they had her addicted to the stuff. 

“When was the last time you had something to drink?” he asked.

“Last night, before I left the bar,” she admitted. So she was already going through withdrawals. She needed something in her. But not that poison. Never again. He opened the door and made his way to the kitchen, pouring her a shot of scotch. He pushed it over to her and she stared at it disdainfully.

“You’re going through withdrawal. I’m not sure exactly what it’s from, but we’ll try to get a bit of alcohol into you so you don’t go into shock or anything,” Mr. Gold said. He knew little to none about withdrawal. He knew some of the symptoms and that was it.

Still, Belle downed the shot and the shaking started to subside. He led her to a spare bedroom and she was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. He sat her backpack on the ground next to the bed and left the room.

He was only out of the room when he heard someone banging on the door. He opened the door before it would wake up Belle, only to see Emma standing on his doorstep.

“Have you seen Lacey?” Emma asked, the deputy badge on her hip reflecting the early morning sunlight.

“No. Can’t say I have,” Mr. Gold said flippantly, but his heartbeat was already accelerating.

“Have you seen Belle? Do you think Lacey could be with her?” Emma asked quickly. Mr. Gold swallowed and shook his head.

“Miss French is upstairs, asleep. Alone,” he clarified. Emma’s eyes widened. Before she could say anything else, Henry was halfway up the steps.

“Hi Emma. Hi Mr. Gold. Where’s Lacey?” he asked brightly, clutching a large book. One that looked suspiciously like the one Lacey always carried around. 

“Missing,” Emma said grimly. Henry’s eyes widened.

“But I just got the correct book! How am I supposed to trade out the real book for her fake book when she’s missing?!” Henry complained, obviously exasperated. 

“What’s going on?” Belle’s voice asked quietly. Mr. Gold spun around.

“Belle! You should be in bed!” he lectured gently. She was staring at Emma.

“Lacey’s missing,” Emma told her grimly. Belle’s eyes widened. 

“She made a phone call, while we were in the cabin in the woods,” Belle remembered. Mr. Gold’s eyes widened in turn.

“A cabin in the woods?” he repeated. Emma nodded as well.

“That’s where we found Lacey, Belle, Mary Margaret, and David early this morning,” Emma said.

“Then I can be of assistance. Did she use the old wall phone?” Mr. Gold asked. All Belle could do was nod. He whipped out his cell phone a dialed the phone company. A moment later he hung up.

“Someone made a call to a New York City cell phone,” he stated. Henry’s face lost all color.

“She’s trying to find her brother,” Henry said. Mr. Gold and Emma both had wide eyes at that. Emma spun briskly.

“I’m going to find her before she finds him,” she promised. She was in her car and pealing out of the driveway before anyone could say a word. 

“Bae’s in New York City?” Mr. Gold asked Henry, his voice low. Henry nodded.

“He has next to no memories. Except a hatred for you,” Henry whispered.

“Who’s Bae?” Belle asked. Both turned to her, noticing how her face was scrunched up, as if she was trying desperately to remember something. Or someone. Bae.

“My son,” Mr. Gold managed to say. Belle’s eyes widened.

“So you are Lacey’s father,” she murmured. Mr. Gold had no answers.

“Lacey and Bae are…half siblings,” Mr. Gold was finally able to say. It was the truth. Belle nodded but said no more. 

“Henry, can you run home?” Mr. Gold asked as he moved from the door to Belle’s side. He helped her to her room, glancing over his shoulder once to see that Henry had left and closed the door behind him.

 

Rose:

She woke up much earlier than she’d hoped to, but that was just how life was. She felt sick with worry for Alice, and – to her confusion – the Knave. She hurried out of the room only to see Jefferson waiting for her.

“Want to find breakfast?” he asked. Rose shook her head and closed her eyes. A moment later she heard a gasp. She opened her eyes to see Jefferson staring at the food she’d conjured with wide eyes. 

The two of them ate quickly and Rose magicked them close to the castle.

“You know, I can still take you home now. You don’t have to do this,” Jefferson whispered as they approached the wall. Rose smiled ruefully at him.

“I do, actually. I feel like…I feel like this is my destiny,” Rose said. The moment the words left her mouth, she realized just how true they were. This felt like her destiny. This WAS her destiny.

“Fine,” he said, but he smiled as he said it. He picked up the hat that had somehow landed on Rose’s head and ruffled her hair affectionately before replacing the hat.

“I like my hat better,” Jefferson said lightly, but Rose could hear the worry behind his words. He was terrified. For her. 

Rose led him to a weak spot in the wall. She didn’t know how she knew about it; she just did. Then, instead of breaking through it like she had just decided she wanted to do, she magicked them right inside.

Right inside of a prison cell.

“Rose!” Alice cried out quietly. Rose’s eyes widened. 

“Alice?” she called out. Her eyes darted around the room quickly, but saw nothing. 

“Where are you?” Rose called out. 

“The cell next to you! I felt you arrive!” Alice said. The words seemed confusing to Alice, and they were more so confusing to Rose. 

“Hide!” Alice instantly hissed. Rose and Jefferson slunk into the shadows. They heard the rattling of the cell door next to them.

“Off with her head,” a male voice said. The voice sounded absolutely crazy and Rose listened intently. Nothing. Except the sound of Alice being drug away.

“We should have magicked out there and kicked butt!” Rose berated herself as she magicked them out of the cell.

“Come on!” she cried to Jefferson as she took off running through the castle, following nothing but her instincts. The instincts led her to a tower with a balcony overlooking a gorgeous stone courtyard. In the center of the courtyard was Alice, tied and thrust to the ground. A man with an axe was standing over her, and the slutty woman Rose had seen the day before was watching gleefully.

“OFF WITH HER HEAD!” the Red Queen shouted. Rose threw herself off the tower and appeared behind the axe man. She waved her hand at the axe and it turned into a lovely bouquet of daisies. Another wave of the hand and Alice was undone. With a quick glance at Jefferson, she magicked the three of them back to the Queen of Hearts’ castle.

When they landed, the room spun. Rose collapsed to the floor.

“Rose?” Jefferson asked worriedly, and Alice repeated her name as well. Rose shook her head.

“Dizzy,” she murmured.

“You overdid yourself, you idiot,” Jefferson lectured her, but he was grinning. He scooped her into a hug.

“You’re amazing!” he cried. 

It was only then that Rose realized something was seriously wrong. 

“Where’s the Knave? And Cyrus?” Rose asked. Alice’s slight smile faded instantly to be replaced with a worried expression.  
“The Knave was locked somewhere else. And Cyrus is trapped in his lamp,” Alice moaned.  
“His lamp?” Rose asked, completely lost.  
“Yes. Cyrus is a genie. Was a genie. Is now a genie again,” Alice said, trying to figure out her words as they left her mouth.   
“Sounds complicated,” Jefferson mumbled, only for Rose to slap his arm in irritation.  
“Then I guess we gotta go back for them.”

Bae:  
He still couldn’t shake the feeling that the call made to him was important. More than important. Dire.   
Wendy was over once more. She was always over anymore, and Bae really couldn’t find a way to tell her he wanted to be alone. Needed to be alone.   
Maybe this was what Rose didn’t like about her.   
She was talking to him about something, but all he could think about was that phone call.   
“And I was thinking we should maybe move in together. Since we’re together all the time anyway,” Wendy was suggesting. That shocked Bae out of his stupor.  
“Wait – what?” he asked. Wendy shrugged, examining her nails.  
“Well it would make perfect sense,” she said. Bae felt overwhelmed. He felt more than overwhelmed. He was irritated, horrified, disgusted. Rose was missing. His sister, the only thing he had left of his family, was gone, and Wendy was trying to talk about moving in with him?  
“There isn’t really much room in the apartment, and I really don’t want to move anywhere else,” Bae said awkwardly. Wendy sighed.  
“Neal. We’re engaged. We’re going to have to move somewhere else soon anyway. And I’d be in your room. It’s not like I’m asking to have Rose’s room,” Wendy scoffed.  
The thought sent a red flash of fury through Bae’s vision. He slammed his fist against the table before picking up the closest object –a glass cup – and throwing it against the wall as hard as he could.  
“Damnit, Wendy, I said no! I’ve got too much to deal with right now!” Bae roared, furious. Wendy glared openly.   
“You should stop acting like an asshole. The brat probably ran away for attention,” Wendy snarled right back. Bae was done.  
“Get out.”  
“What?” Wendy was taken aback. It was clear on her face that she hadn’t been expecting that.  
“I said get out. We’re done. Rose is my everything. If you’re going to treat her like that, we are finished,” Bae said angrily. Wendy glared at him, snatched up her purse, and stomped towards the door. In the doorway, she spun around.  
“You’re going to regret this,” she promised him before slamming the door violently behind her. A picture frame tumbled to the ground from the wall at the force of the door. 

Wendy:  
“And he told me to get out! What are we going to do now?” Wendy complained, irritated.   
“This is a problem. A serious problem. We needed someone inside,” Tamara said, running a hand through her hair.  
“If we hadn’t been the ones to rescue you, I’d suggest you go in after him,” Greg suggested. Tamara nodded, shaking her head.  
“This is not the time for our plans to be going to hell. We need things to be perfect right now. This is our endgame,” Tamara said.  
“What about the puppet?” Greg asked suddenly. Tamara turned to him quickly.  
“What about him?” she asked.  
“What puppet?” Wendy asked. Tamara waved her hand impatiently.  
“August Booth. He’s turning into wood. Turns out the bastard’s Pinocchio,” Tamara said flippantly.   
“Well. We could offer him something. Something that will keep him human. If he acts as our spy,” Greg suggested.  
“Do we have something like that?” Wendy asked, eyebrows furrowing together. Tamara scoffed at her.  
“Of course not, fool! But he doesn’t need to know that,” Tamara said.   
“That won’t work,” an older voice said from behind them. Everyone turned around to see Wendy Darling rolling herself in in her wheelchair.   
“Miss Darling,” Tamara said, bowing her head slightly.  
“It’s a thoughtful plan, Greg, but he’s not the typical Pinocchio. If he was, he would have given us information long ago,” Wendy Darling suggested.  
“Then what do you want us to do, Grandma?” Wendy asked sarcastically.   
“Let him go. Then follow him,” Wendy Darling suggested.  
“Just…let him go? With a tracking device?” Greg asked dubiously. Wendy Darling nodded.  
“Yes. We’ll forget about Neal Cassidy for right now. Instead, let’s focus on the larger scheme of things. Like where Lacey disappeared to. And Rose, for that matter,” Wendy Darling said.  
Wendy smiled at her grandmother and the others before quietly excusing herself. Neal would feel sorry for treating her like that. She would make sure of it. She would personally be the one to kill him.   
No one broke up with her. 

Henry:  
Henry sat at a booth in the diner, staring at the book. Now what? He didn’t want to go home just yet – his mom was busy for awhile yet today. But what could he do? His only playmate was gone. Stupid Lacey. Why’d she have to run away?   
“You look deep in thought,” a voice said as someone slid into the booth across from him. Abigail.   
No. Kathryn.  
“Hi,” Henry said shyly. Kathryn smiled at him.  
“Hey. You look like someone just ran over your puppy. What’s going on?” she asked him. He liked her. He always liked Abigail.   
“Lacey ran off and now I don’t have anyone to play with,” Henry mumbled. It was only part of his problem, but he couldn’t very well tell her the entire problem. Kathryn propped up her head with her hands.  
“Tell ya what. I’m kinda lonely right now too. Want to play with me? We can go to the castle,” Kathryn offered. Henry’s smile appeared on his face.  
“That’d be awesome!” he said, jumping up quickly. Kathryn laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately before wrapping her arm around his shoulders.   
His day just went from horrible to okay.


	27. Chapter 27

Lacey:

She was staring at the map in confusion. She had made it this far. But New York City was huge. And bustling. And there sure were a lot of people. More than she’d seen in Boston when she’d found Emma. 

She closed her eyes and pointed to a random spot on the small map she’d found at the subway. When she opened her eyes, she smiled. That was where Bae was. She knew it.

She was happy to see she was near where she had pointed. She started walking. She was extremely close to the spot she’d pointed to when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Lacey spun around quickly, eyes wide, only to see Emma. 

A not so happy Emma.

“Lacey, what are you doing?” Emma asked her, crossing her arms. 

“I wanted to find my brother,” Lacey said, allowing her bottom lip to start quivering. Tiny tears began to form in her eyes. She was good at crying on cue.

Sadly, they were real tears. Tears of frustration. She was so close she could practically taste it. And here was Emma, to take her away. Before Lacey could mount a phenomenal defense, Emma was tugging her towards her car. 

Lacey sighed reluctantly and climbed into the car. She’d have to come another time, she guessed.

 

Henry:

The day had been more fun than he’d even predicted it could be. Kathryn had played with him for hours before taking him out to eat at the diner. When they were done, she offered to walk him to his mother’s house.

They had bonded a lot. Henry could even see that she felt strongly for him, even after one day. She trusted him. Maybe she loved him.

The thought hit him like a sack of bricks. She may love him. Maybe he could wake her up! He loved her too, right? Yes, he did. And he could wake her up. Then she could help them!

When they got up to the front porch, Kathryn leant down and hugged Henry tightly.

“I had a GREAT time,” Kathryn told him, her face covered in a wide smile.

“Me too!” said Henry. He closed his eyes quickly, pulling all the love he felt for Kathryn, for Abigail, to the surface before opening his eyes and kissing her cheek. He felt the familiar pulsation of energy come off of her as she blinked in confusion. The door was thrown open.

“Henry, where have you….Kathryn?” Regina asked, staring at the woman. She was staring at Henry with wide eyes as if she were seeing him for the first time. 

“Abigail?” Henry asked, hoping it had worked. It did. Her eyes widened.

“Henry! What’s happened?” she asked almost urgently. Regina’s eyes widened.

“Come inside,” Regina told her, ushering her in the house quickly. Henry was elated.

He could wake people up. 

“Mom, I can wake people up by kissing them!” Henry said excitedly. Regina stared at him.

“But it’s more than that, isn’t it?” she asked. Henry nodded.

“I have to love them, and they have to love me. But it isn’t that hard!” Henry protested.

“So you’re going to go around kissing everyone after making them fall in love with you?” Regina asked skeptically. Henry’s heart sank.

“Well…it’s a start,” he tried saying optimistically. Regina folded the boy into a hug. 

“A start indeed. Let’s go explain to Princess Abigail what’s happened,” Regina said, slipping her hand into Henry’s.

 

Maleficent:

She scowled as she watched a dazed Kathryn enter Regina’s house. That was not supposed to happen. It was that child’s fault. Henry. He was a big problem. He couldn’t be allowed to get to Emma. He knew Emma would be another big problem, and she knew the deputy would be a bigger problem if she was allowed to get together with the boy. She needed to come up with something to distract the deputy.

Her mind wandered and her eyes widened as she thought of someone no one would be happy to see. Someone who would be a great chess piece to bring out. She grabbed her purse and stalked out of the house she lived in. 

On her way there, she thought back to Lacey. The girl had run away from home. The sheriff had called her an hour ago to tell her that Lacey had been found and they were on their way home. Home from where? It irked Mal that Lacey was running off. Lacey was hers. HERS. Not theirs. 

She entered the hospital and entered the passcode to the hidden door. When she got down there, the nurse eyed her.

“Madam Mayor. It’s been awhile,” she greeted her, but her eyes gave her away. Mal only came to visit once a month, and had already visited for this month. Still, Mal snatched the keys and hurried down the hall. When she got to Anna’s cell, she opened it. Anna was sitting on the bed like she always did.

“Get up. I’m rescuing you,” Mal ordered. Anna scrambled to her feet. Mal waved a hand over Anna’s face and Anna’s eyes became wide as she hugged Mal.

“Thank you so much for saving me!” Anna cried out. Mal wrapped her arms around the girl and smiled maliciously.

Yes. This would offer up the perfect distraction.

 

Belle:

Mr. Gold’s house was huge and filled with useless junk. That’s what Belle noticed when she was awake enough to explore. The man himself was in the kitchen, making grilled cheese. Belle tripped over a ball and caught herself on the doorframe. Mr. Gold spun around and smiled when he saw her.

“Good. I was hoping you’d wake up soon. Emma called. She just got back to town. Lacey’s safe,” Mr. Gold told her. Belle was surprised. She glanced out the window. The sun was almost down.

“Shit,” Mr. Gold muttered. Belle turned to see that the grilled cheeses he’d been cooking had burnt. He turned, looking quite sheepish.

“Would you protest eating at Granny’s?” he asked. Belle smiled at him and shook her head. She was just fine with that. 

The two of them walked slowly to Granny’s. When they got there, Mr. Gold froze in the doorway. Belle turned to ask him what was wrong when she saw it too.

Sitting at one of the tables was Emma. Emma, along with four people in dingy hospital gowns. Belle recognized them instantly. One was her friend, John. He’d been thrown in a mental asylum at the same time she had, for schizophrenia. Next to him was Sydney Glass. Belle didn’t know Sydney, only that he used to work at the newspaper before having some sort of mental breakdown. The third was Lane. His cell had been on the other side of hers in the mental asylum. He believed he was Lancelot, from the story of King Arthur. 

The fourth one was her half sister. The half sister that was thrown in the mental asylum after Belle got out, the one who accused Belle of trying to kill her. It was because of her that Belle lost many years of her childhood. 

“We can leave,” Mr. Gold said quickly.

“No. Let’s eat. We can get our food to go,” Belle said, pulling him in the door. They sat down at the counter and ordered their food to go, waiting while trying to keep their eyes forward. Ruby noticed.

“Did you hear? Mal went to inspect the mental asylum and discovered it in horrible conditions. She’s taken them all out while the hospital has to remodel and made the place better,” Ruby told them. 

“Where are they staying until then?” Belle asked, swallowing tightly as she did.

“I don’t know. Emma’s working on that. She’s called the closest relatives to them, I believe. Who knew we had so many crazy people?” Ruby asked. Belle winced at that and felt Mr. Gold grab her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. 

When she walked away, Belle heard the door open. She turned in her seat and her eyes widened.

In walked her father.

The father she had been told was dead. Who killed himself. But there he was. Alive. And well. And heading straight for Emma.

“Thank you so much for calling me. I thought she’d been shipped out to a city!” Moe French said, beaming at her. Emma shrugged.

“It’s no problem. I was informed that you are not related to her by blood, though?” Emma asked. 

“No, I’m not. She’s my ex-wife’s daughter. But the only other family she has is a half-sister,” Moe said. Belle’s blood froze in her veins. 

“I need to go. Now,” Belle said, standing abruptly. Gold grabbed the food that had just finished and was moving to follow her when she collided with Emma. Emma steadied her, and Belle paled. Because her father was staring at her. No. Glaring at her.

“What do you want?” he spat. Belle winced.

“Nothing. I-I’m sorry,” she said, trying to move. Gold was blocking her, though. So she couldn’t. 

“I thought you said your father was dead,” Mr. Gold said, his voice loud enough for Emma and Moe to hear. Moe laughed cruelly.

“Of course she did. That’s what I told them to tell her. I didn’t want her coming back to try to live with me again when she got out,” Moe said cruelly. Belle flinched at his words. 

“She’s your daughter,” Mr. Gold said, his tone cold.

“No. She’s just a slut that tried to kill her sister,” Moe said, his voice colder than Gold’s was. Moe turned to Anna.

“Come on Anna. Let’s go home,” Moe said warmly. Anna got up and came to Moe, smiling triumphantly at Belle as she did. The two walked out of the diner and Belle all but slumped into Mr. Gold.

“Belle?” John asked from the table. Belle looked up and offered him a small smile. The man was out of the seat in an instant, wrapping his arms around her. So was Lane. 

“Belle. We’d thought they’d killed you,” John said.

“No. They let me out,” Belle told him. The two shook their heads.

“Lucky. You never were meant to be there,” Lane said. Belle nodded. 

“It looks like you’re leaving. Maybe we’ll see you again soon?” John asked hopefully.

“Maybe?” Belle asked, turning to Emma.

“I’m having them reevaluated to make sure they really need to be locked up,” Emma explained. Belle nodded. She waved at them once more before Mr. Gold gently pulled her out the doors.

He waited until they were to his house to ask questions. For that, Belle was eternally thankful. 

However, the moment the door was closed, the questions began.

“How did you know them?” Mr. Gold asked her quickly.

“They were in the cells next to me at the mental asylum,” Belle said, puzzled. 

“You said before you were in a mental asylum. How long?” Mr. Gold asked.

“Six years. They let me out when I was eighteen. But I have few memories from those times. Just memories of Lane and John,” Belle said. Mr. Gold’s jaw set. 

“And your father?” he asked.

“They told me he was dead. When I got out, they told me he’d killed himself. And that I was on my own,” Belle said quietly. Mr. Gold said nothing more, just placed the food on the table. 

 

Rose:

She waited until both Alice and Jefferson was asleep before she got up. They’d agreed to go back for him tomorrow morning, but Rose had a bad feeling. A feeling that, if they waited until morning, one or both of the men would be dead.

So Rose snuck out once everyone was asleep. She was just outside of camp when the Cheshire Cat appeared in front of her, grinning in a way that no cat ought to. 

“Rose. Sneaking out. Tut tut,” Cheshire Cat said, shaking its head. 

“What do you want? I have to save my friends,” Rose said defiantly, lifting her chin. 

“Your power. You can’t truly control it,” the Cheshire Cat said. Rose felt herself go cold.

“Why would you say that?” she asked.

“Because it’s the truth. Rose, if you want to control your powers, you have to decide what it is you want. What you truly want. Once you have that decided, you need to harness it,” the Cheshire Cat told her before fading. The only part of him that remained was his creepy smile. Rose took off running. 

When she was far from the camp, she magicked herself into the castle. She snuck along the corridors, making sudden turns without the slightest visible signs telling her to. She was travelling only on instincts.

She stopped in front of a small pedestal. There was a lamp there. Rose took the lamp and tucked it into the hem of her pants. She had no idea why. She just knew she needed it. She continued running. 

She stopped in front of a bedroom door. Rose didn’t even knock. She blasted the door open.

Standing in the room was the Knave.

And the Red Queen.

 

Hook:

The shore was coming into his vision. They had decided to drift for awhile, not wanting to disturb the natural order of things.

At least, that’s what he told Milah.

He didn’t want to admit that he had no bloody clue how to get to Maine.

When they ended up in a place people called England, he bought a map. And realized they’d sailed quite a ways in the wrong direction. He allowed his crew and Milah to browse while he found a map that would help him.

And then they were off once more.

Now, it was time. They were almost there. 

It was time to help Henry and Emma defeat Maleficent. 

Hook smiled. And it was time to see Belle again. Belle and Rumplestiltskin. 

He pulled the ship into dock and made sure the visibility cloak was up.

It was.

It was time to scout the town.

Emma:

Once she’d placed all of the patients in a place for the night, she was exhausted. It had been a long day. Of course, when she got to Mary Margaret’s house, Henry was beaming and waiting for her. Emma couldn’t say no to the boy, so she took him and Ali to the park to play. 

They played for about two hours before Emma pleaded exhaustion. She knew she needed to stop by the sheriff’s office and lock up for the night. So she did, after dropping Henry off at Regina’s house. 

She ran inside, making sure everything had been straightened up. On her way out, she noticed the rarely used mailbox had the flag placed up. Frowning, Emma locked the door and opened the mailbox. One lone letter was inside, addressed to her. 

Emma ripped the letter open, eyes scanning the content. And her eyes widened. 

The paper said that the DNA was positive.

Lacey Gold was most certainly the daughter of Belle French.


	28. Chapter 28

Belle:

The next day, she made the mistake of telling Mr. Gold she’d run to Granny’s to get lunch for them.

She made it in with no problems, but on her way out, she collided with someone. Moe. Her father. And her half-sister, smirking behind him.

“Watch where you’re going!” Moe said coldly. Belle nodded, feeling as if she’d turned back into a child in his presence.

“Sister, are you going to let him talk to you like that?” Leroy’s voice slurred from the counter. Belle threw a confused glance over her shoulder to see Leroy eyeing her father in disdain. Much to her horror, Ruby seemed to agree with Leroy.

“Yeah. Aren’t you her father? Shouldn’t you, I don’t know, CARE about your daughter?” Ruby asked sarcastically, angrily. 

“She’s no daughter of mine,” Moe said, his voice ice cold still. Anna shot Belle a triumphant glare.

“Come on, Anna. Let’s go eat at home. It looks like this is more of a whorehouse than a diner anymore,” Moe said loudly, turning around and leaving quickly. Belle was frozen in her spot. Ruby ran over, wrapping her arms around Belle and dragging her over to the counter. Belle was sat down next to Leroy.

“You don’t look too well,” Leroy observed as he took a bite of his cheeseburger. 

“What’s his problem?” Ruby asked.

“He never really liked me. Mom left us and started a new family. A family she flaunted. And Dad decided he liked Mom’s new daughter better than me,” Belle said flatly. Leroy whistled.

“That’s fucked up,” he said, offering his version of sympathy. Belle nodded.

“And Anna hated me. So she told them that I’d come at her, trying to kill her. They locked me up for six years. And told me he’d died when I got out,” Belle said. 

“They locked you up for six years because your sister lied?” Ruby asked in disbelief. Belle glanced at the alcohol on the shelf.

“Can I get some of that?” she asked hopefully. 

“First shot’s on me,” Leroy said instantly. Ruby nodded and pulled down some tequila.

“Sounds like you need it,” she said grimly.

 

Countless shots later, Belle was feeling better. So was Leroy, who’d joined her rather quickly in the drinking. 

“I don’t understand. How old were you when they locked you up?” Leroy asked, downing another shot.

“Twelve. And I was on drugs that made me remember next to nothing for six years,” Belle said, downing a shot of her own. Ruby was enamored with Belle and Leroy’s drunk conversation. 

“Belle, why did he call you a whore? And slut? I mean, you haven’t seen him since you were twelve,” Ruby asked, looking confused. Belle shook her head.

“I don’t know. A lot of my memories faded with all the drugs,” she said, reaching for another shot. A cane cut her hand off. Belle’s head shot up, spinning as it did. Mr. Gold was glaring down at her. 

“How many drinks have you had?” he asked before examining the filled counter in front of her and Leroy. 

“Hi Mr. Gold,” Belle slurred, her eyes trying to close as she greeted him. She fought to keep them open. 

“I send you here for lunch and you decide to start drinking? You’re still on the clock, Miss French,” Mr. Gold told her sternly. Belle felt a swell of horror in her from the name.

“Don’t call me that,” she ordered, trying to keep the panic from her voice.

“Don’t call you what?” Mr. Gold asked, confused.

“Don’t call me Miss French!” she cried. Ruby pushed the drink to her and Belle reached around Mr. Gold, downing the thing as quickly as she could. The anxiety started to fade a bit as the alcohol warmed her throat. 

“It reminds her of Anna and her father,” Leroy said, trying to whisper but only succeeding in shouting. Mr. Gold’s gaze softened slightly as he pulled her to her feet. He grabbed the food, which was cold for sure by this point, and tossed some money on the counter.

“But I wasn’t done. I can still remember everything,” Belle slurred, trying to pull away. She didn’t succeed. They got to his shop when another lovely confrontation happened. Mal.

“Oh. Mr. Gold. Miss French,” Mal said, stopping right before running into them. Her eyes took in Belle’s appearance and Belle was unable to miss the judging look she was getting. 

“Mal. Dearie. We’re a bit busy. Come back later,” Mr. Gold bit, pushing the door open and dragging Belle inside. Mal ignored him and followed him in.

“My dear, you look like you’ve had a rough morning. It’s what, one? Already drunk? What a shame,” Mal said, staring at her. Belle squirmed under her gaze. 

“My employee is none of your concern,” Mr. Gold told Mal harshly. Mal had the nerve to laugh at that.

“She may not been your employee much longer, Gold,” Mal told him haughtily. Despite the alcohol in her veins, Belle felt herself lose color. What did that mean?

“I don’t plan on firing her, if that’s what you’re implying. And you have no control over my employees,” Mr. Gold shot back.

“Oh, I know. However, Miss French has been showing some…characteristics…that are not desirable in society. It would be a shame if she were placed back in the mental asylum,” Mal said, running a finger on a display. It came back dusty. Mal shook her head and wiped her finger on a curtain. 

“Miss French is not crazy. And no one would take her from me to put her in the unsafe mental institution,” Mr. Gold shot back. 

“Oh, but it is being changed to be safe. We’re working on that. And you have no legal right to her, outside of her employer,” Mal said before spinning on her heel. She stopped in the doorway before shooting a look at Belle.

“I’ll see you soon, dear. Hope you don’t have any more outbursts, or you’ll be our first new patient,” Mal promised maliciously. 

With that, she was gone.

Belle nearly collapsed the moment she was gone. Mr. Gold rushed to her side, trying to help her up.

“She can’t really lock me up again, can she?” Belle asked, begging, looking up at Mr. Gold. Mr. Gold hesitated. That was all Belle needed to know.

Mal could do it. And she would. Belle scrambled to her feet and rushed into the back bathroom, vomiting much of the alcohol she’d been consuming.

When she finished, she realized that Mr. Gold had been holding her hair out of her face. She wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet, turning to him. 

“She won’t lock you back up,” Mr. Gold promised.

“But she can. She even said it. You can’t do anything,” Belle retorted, trying to keep her panic down.

“I can’t do anything as your employer. However, I could do something if you were not just an employee to me,” Mr. Gold stated, his face apathetic. Belle stared at him, confused.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“If you were to marry me, I would be able to protect you. No one would dare put my wife away. Not even Mal could pull that one,” Mr. Gold stated. Belle’s eyes went wide.

“What?” she asked.

“It’s the only way I can think of to keep you out of the mental institution once and for all,” Mr. Gold pointed out. 

“And you promise she won’t lock me up?” Belle asked, swallowing the lump in her throat. Something about this seemed familiar, so achingly familiar…why did this kind of thing keep happening to her? What had she done to incur so much wrath?

“She won’t,” Mr. Gold vowed. Belle took in a deep breath and nodded.

“Okay. Let’s do it,” she said, standing shakily.

“Now?” Mr. Gold asked, confused. Belle nodded.

“Before she comes after me again. I don’t know if she talked to my fath – Moe or not yet, but if she hasn’t, I’m sure they’ll have me locked up before sundown,” Belle said.

“What happened?” Mr. Gold asked, his jaw setting. Belle shook her head.

“He’ll try having me locked up again,” Belle just repeated. Mr. Gold nodded and handed her a packaged toothbrush.

“Meet me in the car,” Mr. Gold told her simply.

 

Ten minutes later, they were on their way to the courthouse. Belle watched as Mr. Gold filled out a few forms and they were brought in front of a judge. The judge didn’t say anything, just raised his eyebrows and ordered a secretary in the office to be a witness.

Thirty minutes later, they left as Mr. and Mrs. Gold. 

Somehow, something about it made Belle feel even more miserable.

“Let’s go home. You need to sleep off some of this alcohol,” Mr. Gold told her as he drove them home. Belle nodded sleepily, allowing him to put her to sleep in the room she’d slept in before. 

 

She got a phone call some time later. It kept ringing and ringing. Belle stood up and promptly fell. When she finally picked up the phone, she was still half asleep.

“Hello?” Belle asked sleepily.

“Belle?” Emma’s voice asked. Belle’s eyes opened. Emma had been searching for Lacey.

“Emma? Is Lacey okay?” Belle asked quickly. 

“Yes. Lacey’s fine and home. But you have another problem,” Emma said grimly. Belle felt herself grow faint. Mr. Gold said they wouldn’t be able to do anything if she was married to him. Had he lied? Was Emma going to throw her in the mental institution?

Nonsense. Emma would have come there if that were the case.

“What’s wrong?” Belle asked.

“Mr. Gold’s in jail. I had to arrest him for beating the crap out of your father and…half sister. He wanted you to get money from his desk in his bedroom for bail and come get him. If you want to,” Emma added quickly.

“He did what?” Belle asked, shocked.

“He also said not to talk to the Mayor at any cost,” Emma added, sounding almost skeptical of her own words. Belle nodded.

“I’ll be right there.”

 

Rose:

The Red Queen glared at her, obviously pissed at being interrupted. The Knave stared at her in disbelief.

“Rose?” he asked, confused. 

“I believe you have something of mine,” Rose said, stepping forward. The Red Queen laughed.

“Yours? He’s been my spy for years!” the Red Queen laughed. Rose nearly froze at her words but pushed her emotions down.

“Yes. Mine,” Rose repeated, ignoring her comment. Her eyes flickered to a mirror behind the Red Queen. In seconds, the mirror exploded, shards of glass flying at the Red Queen. Only the tiniest pieces embedded themselves in the Red Queen. Rose was about to shatter something else when – 

“ROSE!” Alice shouted. Her and Jefferson were standing there behind her. Rose spun around, eyes wide.

“What are you doing here?” Rose asked. 

Her moment of hesitation was too much. A sharp pain registered in her left side. She spun around to see the Red Queen looking at her triumphantly. The Knave was on the ground. Still alive. Still uninjured. But there was blood.

Rose’s blood.

And all she could see was red. 

She screamed.

Her eyes were closed as she screamed, and it was only when she felt two hands covering her mouth that she stopped. Her eyes flew open. Alice was gripping her tightly, and the Knave had stumbled to his feet. Jefferson was wide-eyed.

“You just killed her. By doing nothing but screaming,” Jefferson said faintly. Rose glanced over at the queen to notice that she had, indeed, died. 

The ground started shaking violently.

“What’s happening?” Alice shouted, looking around.

“Wonderland has no more rulers. It’s crumbling,” the Cheshire Cat said, appearing on the bed.

“What?” the Knave asked.

“There are no leaders. Without leaders, the world crumbles. You’d bettered escape while you still can,” the Cheshire Cat said gleefully as bits of the roof started crumbling. 

“The hat! Rose, spin it!” Jefferson shouted, thrusting his hat at her. Rose took the hat and spun it, dropping it. As she did, a portal opened up. 

“But what about Cyrus!” Alice cried. The Knave grabbed her and threw her in before following. Jefferson and Rose jumped in as well. 

 

When Rose came to, she was in a field. A field of…corn. Short corn. When she sat up, she could see over the corn. Jefferson was standing, searching around. He had his hat on. 

The Knave spotted her first and pulled her to her feet. Jefferson cried out when he found Alice, pulling her up.

“What just happened?” Alice asked, her voice shaking. Jefferson shook his head.

“Wonderland is no more,” he said grimly.

“What about Cyrus?” Alice all but cried. She pulled a necklace from her throat, and it was glowing. 

“What’s that?” the Knave asked, pointing at Rose’s belt. The lamp was still looped in there.

“I don’t know. I grabbed it at the castle,” Rose said, shrugging. She winced as she did. She was hurt. She didn’t know how bad, but she was hurt. Alice snatched the lamp from her and rubbed it.

Coils of smoke came from it and when the smoke vanished, a man was standing there. Alice cried out when she saw him.

“Cyrus!” she cried, flinging herself at him. He hugged her back as well. Rose watched for a moment before taking in their surroundings. They were in a field. Nothing was around for miles, it appeared.

Until she spotted the interstate. With a sign.

“Guys? We have a problem,” Rose said grimly. The Knave and Jefferson turned to follow her gaze, while Cyrus and Alice pulled apart.

“What’s wrong? Oh no,” Alice whispered as her eyes caught sight of the sign as well.

“What?” Jefferson asked, eyebrows furrowed together.

“We’re in Illinois,” Rose said hollowly.

“What’s Illinois?” the Knave asked.

“It’s far away from where I need to be. And we have no money,” Rose said.

“And you’re injured,” Jefferson pointed out. Rose ignored him, stepping towards the Welcome to Illinois sign. They needed a map. And they needed it fast.

This was not good.

 

Wendy:

“We’re picking up a strong reading,” Tamara said, eyes not leaving the computer screen.

“A strong reading? What kind of strong reading?” Wendy demanded, moving closer.

“Something highly supernatural. The reading is coming from the Midwest,” Tamara said. 

“I’ll take care of it,” Wendy said, pushing her way out the door.

She needed a distraction from everything here anyway.


	29. Chapter 29

Belle:

She hurriedly got the money from Mr. Gold’s dresser. The keys to a car were lying on the top of the dresser. She looked at them for a moment. It was a nice distance to the station from the house. What if Mr. Gold was injured?

Belle grabbed the keys on impulse and took off out the door, barely remembering to grab her purse as she left. 

She hadn’t driven a car in forever. She knew how to. She’d gotten her license as soon as she’d gotten out of the hospital. But since then, she hadn’t driven. She’d mainly used it to get alcohol once she turned twenty-one. 

She pulled up outside the sheriff’s office without a hitch. It was dark out. Really dark out. She should’ve checked the time.

She entered the place to see Mr. Gold sitting on a bed in the cell, Emma sitting at her desk with her feet propped up. When she saw Belle, she lurched to her feet.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” Emma stated. Belle handed her the money.

“I did,” Belle said, not sure of what else to say.

“I told you she would. She’s my wife, after all,” Mr. Gold said sarcastically. Emma’s eyes widened.

“Your what?” she asked in disbelief.

“My wife. Didn’t you hear? We’re married now,” Mr. Gold said bitingly. Emma looked at Belle in disbelief. 

“How did he manage to bribe you into marrying him?” Emma asked. Mr. Gold shot a dirty glare at her. Belle shrugged.

“Mal was threatening to lock me up. No one would dare lock up Mr. Gold’s wife,” Belle said practically. 

“Doesn’t it bite, knowing you can’t get a wife without bribing them?” Emma asked. Mr. Gold glared at her but said nothing. 

“Wait – you’re married?” a voice asked in shock from the door. Ruby. She was staring, wide eyed. Belle froze. Ruby would tell…everyone. Ruby ran out of the room, dropping a bag as she did.

“Damn. She was bringing me a snack,” Emma muttered. Belle tried to offer a shaky laugh. 

“Can you get me out of here?” Mr. Gold asked snarkily. Emma turned and pulled the keys from her pocket. She unlocked the gate and Mr. Gold grabbed his cane from the couch next to his cell. 

“Come on, dearie. Let’s go home,” Mr. Gold said, grabbing her arm. 

 

 

The next day, she went to the diner for a late lunch. Mr. Gold was still at the shop, working. She had waited until she was sure she wouldn’t run into anyone. No one went to the diner at three…right? 

Wrong.

But it was only Emma. Emma sat in a booth. Belle saw her and walked over, sitting across from her.

“Slow day?” Belle asked. Emma nodded.

“The slowest,” Emma confirmed.

“Well well well. Just the people I was looking for. I hear congratulations are in order,” Mal’s voice said. Both girls’ heads shot up. Mal was standing over them, holding two bottles in her hand. Two glass bottles. 

“Madame Mayor. What a…pleasant…surprise,” Emma said distastefully. Mal eyed her as well.

“I brought you two drinks. Some of my homemade apple cider. It’s my specialty. To Emma, for your new job as sheriff. I searched but couldn’t find anyone to appoint as the new sheriff, so I suppose you’ll do. And to dear Belle. It looks like someone managed to find a husband crazier than herself,” Mal said, her voice sickeningly sweet as she placed the bottles in front of them.

“Thank you, but I have to drive. I’ll drink it later,” Emma said, standing up. Belle did as well.

“Thanks,” Belle murmured, taking the drink with her as she left. She tucked it into her purse.

She didn’t want to drink it right before going to work. Mr. Gold would kill her.

When she got to the shop, she saw a FedEx package leaning against the door. It had the shop address on it, but Lacey’s name. Belle frowned, picking up the package. It was heavy, rectangular. 

Like a book.

Belle tucked the package under her arm and scurried off towards the school. It should be nearing the end of the day. Sure enough, the moment she got to the school, the doors burst open and children took off running. She didn’t have to wait long before she saw Lacey come out, talking animatedly with Henry. 

“Belle!” Lacey cried when she saw her. Lacey and Henry took off running, both nearly tackling Belle to the ground in a bonecrushing hug. Belle couldn’t help but laugh at their behavior.

“Hey guys. Something arrived at the shop for you today, Lacey,” Belle said, pulling the package from under her arm.

“For me?” Lacey asked, eyes wide. Belle nodded and handed the girl the package. Lacey ripped the cardboard off and stared at the book in confusion.

“But…I already have this book,” she said, confused.

“Look at it. It might be different,” Henry urged, taking the book from her. He opened it and started flipping through it.

“Yeah. Lacey, let’s go read it! Bye Belle!” Henry said, dragging Lacey off after him. Belle couldn’t help but laugh at the enthusiasm the boy was showing. However, her eyes caught sight of the clock. She needed to get back to the shop. Now.

She hurried down the street until she got to the shop.

When she entered the shop, he wasn’t there. The bell didn’t work either. Odd. But she could hear voices.

“Look, I haven’t told her yet. And I wasn’t planning on it just yet. But I have a feeling you know more than you’re telling me,” Emma’s voice drifted from the back room. Belle’s heart stuttered. She had no idea whatsoever what Emma was talking about. But she got a feeling in her gut that it was about her. And she didn’t like that. She inched closer.

“I do. However, I’d rather not disclose things that seem worse than they were to the sheriff,” Mr. Gold’s voice said smoothly. 

“They do seem bad. Unless there is a request for the testing, the tests will remain a secret. No one is hurt as of now. But is there any way I can run the test on you as well?” Emma asked. There was silence. A drawn out silence. A silent exchange. Belle ducked under the counter, leaning around the corner.

“There. I trust you’ll be discreet. No one can find out,” Mr. Gold said. Belle’s eyes widened. That sounded like a dismissal. Belle scrambled backwards until she was around the corner and she pressed herself flat against the floor. Hoping they wouldn’t see her. 

She heard footsteps. The door was quiet, but her straining ears caught the sound of it opening and closing. Still no bell.

“You broke my bell, dearie,” Mr. Gold’s voice said. Belle didn’t move.

“Get up. I know you’re there,” Mr. Gold snorted as if her attempt at hiding was that pitiful. It probably was. Belle stood up slowly, straightening up her clothes as she did. Her clothes. She hated these clothes. They weren’t even hers. Mr. Gold had already bought her new clothes he insisted she wear.

“Were you eavesdropping?” Mr. Gold asked lowly. He wasn’t looking at her. Instead, he was making his way to the door.

“Me?” Belle asked, trying to sound nonchalant. However, when she noticed him flipping the open sign around, she couldn’t help but gulp. Mr. Gold turned around, his grin almost feral. It sent shivers down her spine.

“Yes. You. Eavesdropping. Why, Mrs. Gold, in my shop that’s considered a felony,” Mr. Gold told her. He was walking towards her at a speed he shouldn’t have been able to manage with a cane. He wasn’t mad. She could see it. But there was something else in his eyes. Lust. 

He wanted her.

And he wanted her now.

The thought should have disgusted her. But it wouldn’t be the first time. 

“And what would be my punishment?” Belle asked seductively. 

Maybe she wanted him too.

 

Emma:

She left the shop, frustrated. She’d decided before she wasn’t going to ask Mr. Gold for DNA, but she couldn’t get it out of her head. She had to know. 

She hurriedly got back to the office and mailed out the request she’d previously filled out. Ali was at Granny’s with her still.

At the diner, she took Ali with her and they headed back to Mary Margaret’s house. When they got there, she put Ali down for her nap and pulled out the bottle Regina had given her. She’d said it was her homemade apple cider. 

She was skeptical of it. Why would Mal give her something? Mal hated her. She knew that. Everyone knew that. So why would she be kind to Emma?

She wouldn’t. It was probably poisoned. She left it on the counter. She opened it and was about to pour it down the drain when someone knocked on the door. She sat it back down on the counter and went to the door. Henry ran in with Lacey in tow. 

“Emma! This is the right book! We can break the curse now!” Henry said excitedly. His words made Emma’s head hurt. 

“Henry. I don’t know what you’re talking about, but there is no curse!” Emma said, frustrated. 

“Yes there is!” Henry said. His eyes drifted over to the glass bottle by the sink.

“Where did you get that?” Lacey asked, eyes wide. 

“Your mother gave me and Belle one,” Emma said. She was about to tell them she didn’t plan on drinking it, but she didn’t have a chance. Henry snatched it up.

“You may not believe in the curse, but maybe you’ll believe this,” he said, tipping the bottle up and drinking it all. His eyes widened as it slid down his throat. 

“Henry, that was alcohol,” Emma said moving to him. She couldn’t get any more out before Henry fell over. Her eyes widened and Lacey turned to Emma, horrified.

“Belle has one too?” she breathed. When Emma nodded, already trying to pick up Henry, Lacey had taken off running.

 

Belle:

The door was slammed open to the shop. Belle and Mr. Gold shot apart, both panting. Belle quickly pulled her dress haphazardly over her head, standing while Mr. Gold tried getting himself dressed.

Lacey was standing in the door, eyes wide, horror-struck. Her eyes were scanning the place.

“Belle! Where’s the bottle Maleficent gave you?” Lacey asked.

“Maleficent?” Belle asked, confused. Lacey’s eyes were still darting around.

“Emma said Maleficent gave you and her one. They’re poisoned. It’s the curse,” Lacey said. Lacey’s eyes found Belle’s purse and she lunged at it, tearing through the contents. She pulled the bottle from it. 

“Lacey, hon, there isn’t a curse. It’s not poisoned,” Belle said practically. Lacey shook her head wildly.

“You don’t understand! It is! Henry drank Emma’s to prove it and she’s taking him to the hospital!” Lacey exclaimed. Belle’s blood ran cold. 

“Henry’s at the hospital?” Belle asked hesitantly. She could hear Mr. Gold struggling to finish getting himself dressed.

“Yes. Because he drank this!” Lacey said. Belle sighed.

“Lacey, it wasn’t because of the drink. I’ll prove it to you,” Belle said, reaching for the bottle.

“NO!” both Lacey and Mr. Gold screamed. Mr. Gold shot up, clothes still not fully proper and Lacey opened the bottle.

Lacey drank the contents quickly, even as Belle tried to get to her. She dropped the bottle, eyes wide.

“You’ll have to believe me now,” she said just as she dropped to the ground. 

“Lacey?” Mr. Gold said, immediately lunging for the child. He tripped and fell to the ground just as Lacey did. Belle hurriedly grabbed Lacey’s unconscious body, eyes widen in horror.

“What should we do?” Belle asked Mr. Gold, terrified. Mr. Gold grabbed the bottle from the floor.

“We take her to the hospital. Now.”

Rose:

“How badly were you injured?” Jefferson asked, grabbing her shoulders. Rose tried shrugging him off.

“We need to go. Now. We have to find out which side of Illinois we are on. I’ll be fine,” Rose told him. She accidentally bumped her side and winced. Not so fine. But she’d deal. She had to deal. They didn’t have time to wait for her to heal. 

“We’re not going anywhere until we make sure you’re fine,” Alice said firmly. It was the first time she’d spoken since they’d discovered Cyrus. Rose sighed, frustrated, and sat down in her spot. She pulled her shirt up – not that it mattered much. That area was ripped. The wound was still oozing blood. Lovely. Rose glared at it.

She wished it would knit itself back together. It HAD to knit itself together it was being a bother.

“Rose! What are you doing?” Jefferson asked, shocked. Rose held up her hand to silence her as she continued to glare at the injury. It was doing as she commanded. It slowly knit itself back together. Once it was done, she was able to see the state of her clothes. Horrible. The blood was not going to help them. 

The blood faded and the clothes slowly knit themselves back together as well. 

“There. Let’s go,” Rose said angrily. She stood and fell promptly. Her head was spinning. 

“Someone help me up please,” Rose grumbled.

“Magic shouldn’t work here,” Alice said, staring at her. 

“Well, when I’m pissed it had bettered work. I need a bit of money,” Rose said, glaring down at the ground. Sure enough, a little bit of money appeared. It wasn’t much. And it made Rose’s head pound.

“Rose, that’s enough. You of all people should know that all magic comes with a price,” Jefferson lectured her. He stared at her for a moment, at her anger-filled eyes. And his own gaze softened.

“Rose. Using anger to harness your powers is not a good thing. That’s giving in to your dark side. You have equal parts good and bad in you. You have to use the good magic in you, not the evil magic,” Jefferson told her softly. Rose sighed, still frustrated. 

“Help me up. Please. And…hand me my bag,” Rose ordered. She tried lightening her tone, but she was still so frustrated. She had to get to her family. And this was only slowing her down. 

Alice handed her the bag as Jefferson and Knave each took one of her arms and place them around their necks. Rose shrugged them off, allowing herself to collapse for a moment. She dug out a hair tie and a pair of scissors. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail before cutting the ponytail off, eliciting a cry from Alice.

Rose tucked the scissors back in her bag and reached up once more. The two helped her up again.

“Why did you just cut your hair?” Alice asked her.

“Gold. Money. We need money if we’re going to get to my family,” Rose said. 

“We should probably start walking. We need to find a town that we can get money from,” Alice said. Rose nodded. 

“Are you sure you’re fine to walk? I think the magic drained you,” Knave said. Rose shrugged her shoulders, ignoring how incredibly weak the movement made her feel. 

And so they trudged. They trudged on, even though Rose felt downright exhausted. As they walked, Cyrus and Alice whispered behind them. And Rose remained quiet. Thinking.

She’d never been able to use that much magic before. At least, never in this world. She was unsure of how much she had possessed as a child. But using the power, even here? It felt amazing. It felt so right. 

It had soothed her anger. It had fed her anger. 

Which was it?

She couldn’t tell. But she did know that she loved the feel. And she wanted to do it again.

“I think we should stop for the night,” Jefferson said as the sun began to sink in the horizon. Rose didn’t want to. She couldn’t. Her eyes drifted towards the interstate they were walking alongside. They weren’t in visible sight of the interstate drivers, but they were rather close. 

She got a feeling inside of her. A familiar feeling.

“No. Get us up there. Along the road. We won’t have to walk but maybe ten minutes,” Rose said certainly. Everyone eyed her but no one dared speak against her.

As if they were scared of what she could do.

Her, the girl they were practically having to drag along the interstate. 

“Do you know for sure we’re going the right direction?” Knave asked grumpily as they walked up the hill.

“Of course I do,” Rose said. And she did. The sun was an excellent guide.

“We were at the Illinois border. New York….or Maine….Maine is east of Illinois. So we are walking east,” Rose retorted, explaining as if she were talking to a child.

“How do you know?” the Knave shot back.

“Because I live in this world. And grew up here. Get us up there now,” Rose said urgently. They hurried a bit, arriving right along the side of the road.

“We need to walk a bit in the grass. So we aren’t too close, but can be seen,” Rose told them.

“What are you planning?” Jefferson asked her.

“We can’t hitchhike. That’s illegal in some places!” Alice said. 

“We aren’t hitchhiking if we don’t stick out our thumbs. Here comes our ride,” Rose said knowingly. The knowledge was much greater now than what it had been before. But she could care less. She loved this magic, almost craved it. 

A minivan slowed and pulled over a little bit in front of them. The driver got out of the car, as did the person in the passenger seat. They were both men.

“Are you guys alright?” the driver asked, looking worried.

“We got stranded a ways back. We were trying to get to the nearest town so we could find a ride home,” Rose lied to them. 

“Well, there aren’t many big towns around here. I take it you’re heading east?” the passenger observed. Rose smiled at him and nodded.

“We are!” Rose said. She gave him a beaming smile, as if he had just guessed her favorite color. It couldn’t have been more obvious which direction they were walking. 

“So are we. We’re heading to Chicago. Would you guys like a ride?” the driver offered. 

“You’d take us with you to Chicago? Really? How far away is that?” Rose asked, batting her eyelashes. The boys exchanged a glance.

“About an hour. And yeah. Pretty girl like you shouldn’t be out here. You look injured,” the driver said, flashing her a bright smile. Rose nodded gently. 

“I just get so lightheaded when I’m out in the sun too long,” Rose said mournfully. 

“Here. I’ll help you,” the driver said, rushing forward. Before Jefferson or Knave could react, he had scooped her into his arms. 

“Wow. You’re strong!” Rose exclaimed, feigning interest. The boy smiled down at her as well as he placed her in the car and buckled her in. The others followed quickly, each shooting her a worried glance as they climbed in. Knave sat down in the middle next to her, leaving Jefferson to sit in the back with Alice and Cyrus. Once everyone was buckled up, the guys pulled back on the interstate.

“My name’s Peter. This is my brother Kyle,” the passenger introduced. Rose smiled at them.

“My name’s Rose. The man in the back is my father, Jefferson. The other girl is my sister, Alice, and the man sitting next to her is her husband, Cyrus. And this is…” she was going to say brother.

“I’m her fiancé. Micah,” Knave lied smoothly. Fiancé? Where the hell did that come from? Rose turned to him, wide-eyed.

“Fiancé?” Peter exclaimed as well. Rose shook her head.

“We’re not engaged,” she said quickly.

“Yet,” Knave corrected, taking her hand. Rose glared at him, causing the driver, Kyle, to whistle.

“Sounds like someone’s not very happy. You should probably get her a ring soon,” Kyle told him. 

“Kyle’s married,” Peter told them. Rose nodded, squeezing Knave’s hand as hard as she could. She was rewarded with a wince.

“Someone still hasn’t given me a ring, or even bothered to ask, although he has decided to introduce himself as my fiancé. It’s rather…frustrating,” Rose said with a sigh. Both Peter and Kyle chuckled at that. 

Rose could have cried in relief. She was so glad they didn’t try to kick them out right then and there. She’d assumed they’d only pick her up because they thought she was attractive. It was nice to know that there was more to it.

But she couldn’t wrap her mind around Knave. Before, he’d kissed her and hit her. And then acted angry and indifferent. Now he was interrupting her planned explanation to say he was engaged to her? Where did he get the nerve? 

“What’s your family doing out here?” Peter asked. Rose sighed, pretending to pick at the bottom of her shirt.

“We were on our way home from our family vacation. It was supposed to be fun. We went to California. It was like a cross country trip. But Daddy thought we could take his old land rover across. Mama always told him that the thing would fall apart, but he never believed her. It broke down on a highway just before the Illinois border,” Rose said mournfully.

“Wow,” Kyle breathed.

“Yeah. Why didn’t your mother come with you guys on the trip?” Peter asked, looking at her in the mirror. His eyes held suspicion. Crap. 

“Mama’s sick. Our older brother offered to stay with her. That’s why we went on vacation. To try to get our minds off the inevitable,” Rose said mournfully. It worked, but she could still see some suspicion in Peter’s eyes. 

The spent much of the rest of the car ride in silence, the rest in idle chat. When Rose saw the lights of Chicago, she nearly sighed in relief. The Knave had been holding her hand for the last hour, and she had the desire to punch him in the face. Hard.

“You can just drop us off here. Thank you so much!” Rose exclaimed as they entered town. They were next to a gas station. But across from it was a pawn shop. The boys pulled over and the Knave opened the door. Before he could get over to Rose’s side, Kyle had lifted her out. The others climbed out as well. Kyle sat her down on her feet gently and Rose was delighted to see she didn’t sway.

Kyle handed he a slip of paper.

“If you’re ever in Chicago and need anything,” he told her suggestively. The Knave ripped the paper from her hands, holding it tightly. 

“Chill,” Kyle said. Peter smacked him on the back of the head.

“Micah, if you want to keep guys from hitting on your girl, you’d bettered quickly put a ring on that finger,” Peter recommended before the two of them got in the car and drove off.

“Where did all of that come from?” Jefferson demanded the moment they were gone. Rose shook her head.

“The pawn shop. We can get money there,” Rose said, pointing at the shop.

“Fine,” Jefferson muttered as they hurried across the street. Inside, it was dusty. An elderly man approached them.

“Do you have something to pawn?” he asked. Rose pulled out the ponytail of gold, discretely slipping the ponytail holder off of it.

“I actually was looking for cash. For gold. A trade?” Rose asked, placing the strands of gold on the counter. The man looked surprised.

“That’s a lot of gold,” he said suspiciously. Rose shrugged.

“Just call me Rumplestiltskin,” Rose said, inwardly laughing at her joke. The man laughed aloud.

“I’ll give you the money for it,” he said. He turned and weighed it before pulling out some cash. He placed the cash on the counter before staring at Rose.

“You know, the gold actually matches some of your hair,” he said before testing the gold once more to make sure it was real.

“Thanks!” Rose said, turning on her heel. As soon as they were out of the shop, Rose counted the money. It was a lot, but probably not enough to buy them train or bus tickets all the way to Maine. Or New York.

But something else was bothering Rose. 

“Does my hair look different?” Rose demanded. The others immediately turned their attention to Rose’s hair. 

“It’s got brown in it now,” Jefferson said uncertainly.

“Brown?” Rose asked incredulously. Jefferson nodded, more hesitant this time.

“It’s…more brown than gold now,” he said. Rose felt her horror rising. How would they have more money now? Her breathing sped up.

“Calm down,” Cyrus said, placing his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off.

“How can I calm down?” she shouted at him. A passerby shot her an odd look before scurrying on their way. 

“You overused your magic,” the Knave said simply.

“Excuse me?” Rose demanded, spinning on him.

“It’s simple. You overused your magic and it drained you. And your hair. Your hair is a visible picture of your magic. Do something small, something magical,” the Knave commanded. Rose visualized some money in her hands. She visualized as hard as she could and sure enough, money appeared in her hands. She felt instantly light headed.

“See? Her hair lost even more gold,” the Knave explained. Rose felt more panic quell up inside of her. 

“Will it come back?” Rose asked fearfully.

“I don’t know. Just…don’t use magic for awhile?” the Knave begged. Rose tentatively sighed. Her gold hair was part of her identity. She couldn’t bear to lose it. 

It reminded her of her father.

She glanced around, noticing a drug store just down the block. 

“Let’s go there next. I need prenatal vitamins,” Rose said, starting off. However, no one followed her. She stopped, turning expectantly. Everyone’s eyes were wide. Rose’s eyes widened as well as she realized what conclusions everyone had gone to.

“No! I’m not pregnant! They make your hair grow faster,” Rose tried explaining. Her explanation relieved everyone.

“But you can’t go in there to buy prenatal vitamins with us and say that,” Alice said. 

“Why not?” Rose asked, her eyebrows scrunching together.

“Because he’s your fiancé, remember?” Alice said. Rose sighed. Of course it wouldn’t be easy. She pulled her scissors from her bag once more and felt around her head for a few gold strands. When she found some, she cut them out from the roots. She then twisted them together and tied them, fashioning a simple gold ring. She tied it around her ring finger and slid the scissors back in the bag. Then she twisted the other strands together and grabbed the Knave’s hand, tying the last few strands into a ring around Knave’s wring finger.

“There. Now you’re my husband. Let’s go,” Rose said.

“What?” Knave asked stupidly.

“You’re the one who insisted on being my fiancé. Guess what? You got promoted.”


	30. Chapter 30

Belle:

They rushed to the hospital, Mr. Gold driving like a maniac in his rumpled clothes as Belle held Lacey close to her, making sure the girl was still breathing. 

It felt like a part of Belle’s heart had been ripped out. 

They rushed inside, only to see Emma freaking out while watching the nurses work on Henry. When they caught sight of Lacey, they all stopped.

“DO SOMETHING!” Emma screamed, snapping them out of it. One nurse ran forward, grabbing Lacey and placing her on a bed.

“What happened?” the nurse asked.

“She drank a bottle Mal gave me and passed out,” Belle said quickly. The nurses and Dr. Whale exchanged glances.

“It’s not poison. There’s no poison in Henry’s system. I don’t know what this is,” Dr. Whale murmured, confused. Emma’s head shot up.

“Magic,” she breathed. She grabbed Belle’s arm and tore out of the place.

“Where are we going?” Belle asked, confused. Mr. Gold was limping quickly behind them. Emma drug them out to her car and yanked the door open, pulling a huge book from the car and shoving Belle in the seat. Emma stomped around and got in the driver’s seat.

Mr. Gold limped quickly past them. Like a man on a mission. 

“What are you doing?” Belle asked Emma. Emma was flipping through the pages at an alarming speed, her eyes widening. She handed the book to Belle.

“It’s true. It’s all true,” Emma whispered before bailing out of the car. Belle watched her go before looking at the book. She opened it to a random page and felt her chest tighten.

The picture was of HER.

It was like being hit with a tidal wave. Memories crashed over her. Thousands of memories. Years of memories. More years than she’d been alive.

No. 

How had this happened? Rumplestiltskin had planned everything out perfectly, down to the last detail. How had it all screwed up?

She left the book in the car, jumping out just as Emma had. Lacey was in the hospital. Because of Mal. Her daughter, her daughter that had been ripped from her, could very well be DYING, because of Mal. 

Belle could only see red as she took off running for Mal’s exquisite house. When she got there, the door was open and she could hear Emma yelling.

“I know it was you! I remember everything, bitch, and you’re going to reverse whatever the hell you did,” Emma spat. Belle entered the room, her eyes finding Maleficent immediately. She was smirking. 

It truly is a shame that Lacey drank it. I liked the girl. But if she’s the price to pay, then so be it. There is no reversing it. I only wish it’d killed the two of you instead,” Maleficent said, spinning around. 

“We’re not done!” Emma shouted. A knife shot through the air, barely missing Emma’s head.

No one had thrown anything.

“I do believe we are finished. Now get out, or the knife won’t miss,” Maleficent threatened. Belle grabbed Emma’s arm and dragged her out of the house.

“She has magic here? This is a land without magic!” Belle hissed as they hurried out of the driveway.

“If she’s had magic all this time, why did she just now decide to use it?” Emma asked. Belle shook her head but stopped. 

“The alcohol. She’s been using magic all along. She’s been slowly poisoning me. For God knows how many years,” Belle said in disgust. 

“Right now we have to find a way to save Henry and Lacey,” Emma said.

“True love’s kiss.”

Both Belle and Emma spun around, seeing Regina leaning against the fence, one of Maleficent’s apples in her hand. She took a bite of it, smiling as she did.

“Her apples. They’re stock full of magic. I wouldn’t recommend eating them though. They’re poisonous to those with good magic,” Regina warned. 

“True love’s kiss?” Emma said almost skeptically.

“It’s how I got my memories back,” Regina said with a shrug.

“But we got ours back from reading a book,” Belle pointed out. Regina merely scoffed at them.

“That’s because the curse has been weakened significantly. That husband of yours knew his stuff,” Regina said.

“So how do we save them?” Emma asked, looking very near desperate.

“You need to kiss Henry. You’re a product of true love, just as he is,” Regina said. Her words lit a fire under Emma’s feet and she took off running. Regina and Belle struggled to keep up with her as they ran after her towards the hospital.

They entered the hospital. Everyone was still rushing around. Badly. As if something was happening. Something not good. Emma shoved her way through the masses, stopping at Henry’s bed. She looked down at him, ignoring the bustling nurses trying to push her out of the way. 

She bent down and kissed him on the forehead. The moment her lips made contact with Henry’s forehead, a pulsation of energy shot out like an earthquake from an epicenter. Belle felt warmth encase her. Henry sucked in a deep breath and sat up, smiling widely. The nurses had frozen. As had the doctors. 

“The curse is broken,” someone said in awe. Belle ignored them, moving to see Lacey. 

Only to notice Lacey’s heart monitor was starting to crash.

“Emma!” Belle cried, horrified. The doctors were still in shock of what was happening, but Henry lunged out of the bed, dashing over to her bedside. He kissed Lacey on the cheek and, just as he had done, she took in a sharp breathe before her eyes fluttered open. 

“Mom?” Lacey asked. Belle’s eyes filled with tears as she hugged Lacey tight to her.

“Oh Lacey,” Belle cried.

 

Rose:

The others agreed to wait outside the store. For that, Rose was grateful. Because the moment she picked up the prenatal vitamins, she could feel all of the stares on her, watching her every move. It infuriated her. The Knave wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

“Calm down,” he muttered.

Rose didn’t say anything but seethed the entire way to the counter. She didn’t even notice how people were shying away from her. 

“You’re releasing some kind of tense aura that’s keeping people away,” Knave muttered quietly, sounding almost worried. Rose ignored him as she plopped the vitamins on the counter and the cash next to it. The cashier said nothing, as if he sensed her fury. 

They got out of the store much faster than Rose had expected, and the moment they were outside, Rose opened the container and popped a few of them.

“We need to go to the bus station and buy tickets,” Rose said.

“No. It’s getting late. It’s been a long day. You need rest,” Jefferson said, his tone final.

“We don’t have enough money for a hotel room and bus tickets all the way there!” Rose hissed.

“We’ll find a way. You need a good night’s rest. We all do,” he added, glancing around the group. Everyone nodded. She was outvoted. For a moment, Rose just wanted to do whatever it took to get her way. 

But she stopped. 

As if sensing her change of attitude, Jefferson moved to her side and wrapped his arms around her in a quasi-hug. She allowed him to drag them to a hotel – a building Alice pointed out. When they entered, Alice did the talking, gesturing back towards us. She paid with the money Rose had gotten them and motioned for them to follow her. 

 

It didn’t take long for everyone to crash. They had managed to get two small rooms, and Rose was glad. That made it easier to sneak out. The moment Alice fell asleep, Rose slung her backpack on and tucked the cash in her pocket. She opened the door and closed it quietly behind her.

“Going somewhere?” 

The voice made Rose jump. She spun around to see the Knave. His eyes were dancing with emotions. Confusion. Hurt. Anger. Resignation.

The last one gave Rose hope. He’d let her go. He was going to let her go. That had to be what that meant. But somehow, deep down she knew that wasn’t the case. 

“We need to talk,” the Knave said, grabbing her arm roughly. He drug her to the deserted lobby. The person who’d checked them in was nowhere in sight. Knave sat down on the couch, dragging her down with him.

“Were you really going to just walk out and leave us?” Knave asked quietly. 

“I have to get to my family. Something bad’s happening. I need to be there,” Rose said, frustrated.

“We want to help you too, Rose. We’re here for you,” Knave said suddenly. His words seemed inappropriate, as if they were rehearsed instead of said as they should have been.

“Right,” Rose said. The Knave sighed.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I kissed you, back in Wonderland. And I’m sorry I hit you. I shouldn’t have done either. I wasn’t thinking clearly,” Knave told her. 

“You’re right. You weren’t,” Rose said, unwilling to just forget it. The Knave ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.

“What can I do to make it up to you? To get your forgiveness?” he questioned, frustrated. 

“Nothing,” Rose said stubbornly. Knave’s forehead scrunched up as he thought of something. 

Before Rose could react or even sense what was going to happen, Knave tackled her off the couch and his lips were pressed tightly to hers. Rose fought back. Who did he think he was? Telling her everything was a mistake, then kissing her again? He needed to figure out what he meant. It was infuriating.

Even if the feeling sent bursts of color through her vision and make her feel like she was floating out of her body. The whole feeling was so surreal, it nearly shocked her. 

If it hadn’t had shocked her, they would have been in trouble.

Rose’s eyes had caught sight of movement from the corner of her eyes. She tilted her head slightly, freezing at what she saw.

Wendy. 

Wendy was there. She was standing at the front counter, glancing around. Rose immediately stopped moving and grabbed Knave by the back of his head, halting his actions. He stiffened but, thankfully, didn’t move. Rose watched as Wendy climbed over the desk and started messing around with the computer screen.

Checking surveillance.

No. 

Rose glared as hard as she could at the computer screen. Imagining the cords inside of it, the wires. And the files that stored the surveillance. A layer of sweat broke out, covering Rose’s skin. 

But sure enough, the computer exploded. Wendy cursed, eyes darting around. Rose was thankful for the armchair that was obscuring them from her sight. 

The sound brought the man who’d checked them in running in, sending Wendy right out. They remained frozen until the man had left once more. 

“Rose? We were in plain sight. How did she not see us?” Knave asked, shaken.

“I don’t know,” Rose said. The chair was in front of them. But not completely. Wendy in all actuality should have seen them in her escape but she hadn’t. Rose couldn’t understand how she hadn’t.

But she did. She’d cloaked them. She hadn’t even realized she’d been doing it. The realization ripped through her, nearly blowing her away.

“Your hair. It’s all brown now,” Knave added, his voice hushed. Rose’s hands ripped from him and immediately felt around her head. He was right. All of the gold was gone. Rose tried to stand but collapsed.

“You overdid it. You drained it all,” Knave said sadly. Rose shook her head. No. She couldn’t have drained her magic. There was no way. It had to still be there. Her hair wasn’t her magic. Right? It was just a…a symbol of her magic. A false symbol.

Magic was so deeply rooted in her, there was no way she could have just drained it so simply. She hadn’t even done much, not compared to her magical displays in Wonderland.

This world was different. And she had never found herself hating the world as much as she did now. 

“Help me up,” Rose ordered. Knave stared at her for a moment before complying. His arm roped around her waist, pulling her body tight against the side of his. Without a word, he lead them to the elevator. The moment they entered the elevator, Rose glared at him.

“What was all that about earlier?” Rose demanded.

“You’re asking me what earlier was about?” Knave asked her incredulously.

“Yes. I am. You attacked me. With your face,” Rose said stubbornly, ignoring the butterflies that seemed to flutter in her stomach. Damn bugs. Stupid emotions. Why was her body betraying her so much?

“I attacked you with my face?” Knave asked before snorting in disbelief. Rose crossed her arms the best she could. 

“Yes. You did,” Rose said.

“I thought we were talking about you blowing up a computer and making us invisible. Guess that wasn’t a big deal compared to me ‘attacking your face’,” Knave said sarcastically.

“She was looking for us. I was protecting us,” Rose told him. Knave shook her head, his amusement gone. Anger was glinting lightly in his eyes.

“I don’t think you were protecting us. Something’s…changed in you. The magic. It’s changing you,” Knave said grimly.

“Oh? Is it now? I don’t understand how me keeping us safe means I’m being controlled by magic,” Rose said sarcastically.

“No. You wouldn’t. The power’s corrupting you. You may not believe it, but it is. Ever since we got back to this world and you discovered you could use magic here, you’ve been relying on it. I hope, for your sake, that your magic is gone,” Knave told her. Rose felt the fury inside of her coil. 

Who did he think he was? 

The doors opened but the elevator shook. Knave’s eyes widened and, without waiting for anything, he scooped her up and lunged out of the elevator. It continued shaking after they got out, but nothing drastic happened. 

He didn’t even bother to put her down. They walked in silence to the rooms, only to come face to face with a furious Jefferson. Alice and Cyrus were up and waiting as well, Alice looking more hurt than angry.

“You tried leaving. Without saying anything,” Alice accused. Rose didn’t even bother to try to say she hadn’t. Because that was exactly what she had tried doing. And despite it all, Rose couldn’t feel remorse for it.

Actually, she couldn’t feel much of…anything. Except anger. 

No sadness. No happiness. Just anger. It frightened her. 

“Oh Rose,” Jefferson said, his fury melting away and he stepped forward and pulled her out of Knave’s arms, cradling her close to him. 

“What’s happening to me, Uncle Jefferson?” Rose asked, horrified. 

“It’s the dark magic in you. It corrupts people,” Jefferson told her. He pushed his room’s door open and everyone followed them inside. 

“But it didn’t before. Why is it doing this now?” Rose asked. A burst of fury came forth once more. 

“Because your magic has been suppressed for years. And now that you’ve truly experienced it, it is doing to you what it did to your father. Both fathers. Your birth father and your father,” Jefferson said.

“Wait – who’s your birth father?” Alice asked, confused.

“Her birth father was the Dark One, Zoso. Her real father, the person who treated her as his daughter, was the next Dark One, Rumplestiltskin,” Jefferson said. 

“Wait. You have that much evil in you?” Cyrus asked, staring at her.

“She has equal amounts good. Her mother had fairy magic,” Jefferson stated defensively. Cyrus shook his head.

“No wonder you’re so conflicted. That much good and bad magic, all in one must be hell,” Cyrus said with a whistle. This only earned him a glare from every person in the room. 

“What happened to your hair?” Alice asked, effectively changing the subject. Rose shook her head.

“Wendy’s looking for us,” Rose said. The blood from Alice’s face drained.

“That’s not good,” Alice breathed.

“She blew up the box thing in the main room,” Knave supplied.

“Computer,” Rose corrected. 

“And cloaked us. When she was done, her hair was completely brown,” Knave continued. 

“Can you still use magic?” Jefferson asked.

“She made the moving box thing that took us up here shake,” Knave said.

“You need to learn names,” Rose muttered, irritated.

“Anything else? Can you sense anything?” Jefferson questioned her. Rose shrugged, but her eyes fell on a phone.

“I need to call my brother!” she said, eyes wide. Jefferson sat her down on the bed next to the phone and Rose dialed her brother’s cell number quickly. It went straight to answering machine. Great. 

She then tried August’s cell number. Disconnected. Rose felt herself becoming worried. She dialed a random number and something happened.

“Hello?” a voice answered. Rose’s eyes widened.

“Lancelot?” she questioned. The other end was silent.

“Who is this?” the voice asked suspiciously.

“It’s Rose!” Rose exclaimed.

“Rose?” Lancelot asked, sounding quite excited.

“Yes! Lancelot, I need a favor. Please,” Rose begged. Of all numbers in the world, she happened to call Lancelot’s cell phone.

And he knew who she was. Did that mean the curse was broken? 

It had to be. 

Which meant her parents would come looking for her and Bae. 

“Anything for you,” Lancelot said in a heartbeat.

“I’m in Chicago, Illinois at a hotel. With me is Jefferson, and three new friends. We need a ride to Storybrooke so I can be with my family. Can you come get us?” Rose begged. 

“Of course. I’ll grab my stuff and take off now,” Lancelot swore. Rose got a bad feeling.

“WAIT! Don’t go yet. Write down your story. Start out with something no one could know about your cursed self, then write down everything. I have a bad feeling about crossing the town line,” Rose allowed the words to flow from her lips without considering what she was saying. 

“Sure. I’ll call this number in the morning,” Lancelot promised before hanging up.

“I just got us a ride,” Rose said happily.

“What was that about crossing the line?” Jefferson asked, eyebrows knitted together. Rose shrugged.

“I don’t know. A feeling. I still have those,” Rose stated. 

“Okay. We all need to get to bed now. Rose, you’re not sleeping alone. I don’t trust you not to run off again,” Jefferson said sternly.

“She was sleeping with me,” Alice pointed out.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t leave. Nothing gets past me. Cyrus can share a bed with Alice in the other room and Jefferson can be in the other bed in here so he can hear if she somehow manages to sneak past me,” Knave suggested to the room.

“Absolutely not,” Rose said instantly.

“Actually, it sounds smart. Let’s do that,” Jefferson said.

“You can’t be serious!” Rose protested, eyes wide. Jefferson shook his head, staring down at her.

“You should have thought of the consequences before running off.”

 

Hook:

They entered Storybrooke to see mass chaos.

“What happened here?” Milah breathed, glancing around. All of the town people were surrounding a tree. A tree with a fire underneath it and someone tied to it. Hook and Milah pushed their way through the crowd, only to get to the front at the same time as Belle.

“Stop! What are you doing?” Belle asked in disbelief, quickly cutting Maleficent free.

Hook frowned. If he’d realized it was Maleficent, he would have left her there to burn.

“Burning the bitch. What else?” a man in a white labcoat stated. Belle shook her head.

“No. You can’t do that. Just because she did this doesn’t mean she deserves to die. Emma will lock her up in the prison. She will face justice for what she’s done,” Belle said loudly. A blonde came forward and put metal bracelets around Maleficent’s wrists.

“Is that…no. That can’t be little Emma,” Milah said in disbelief. Hook shook his head.

“Looks like someone grew up,” he said. The crowd dispersed unhappily and Hook and Milah made their way to Belle. She hugged both tightly.

“I can’t believe you guys are safe! Do you know where my children are?” Belle asked. Before Hook or Milah could speak, seven short men came running towards them.

“Terrible news!” the leader shouted. Dwarves, Hook realized. 

“What’s wrong?” Belle asked, eyes wide. Emma moved to stand next to her, Maleficent still next to her in the metal bracelets.

“Lancelot just crossed the town line and lost all of his memories,” the leader told her, eyes wide.

“What?” Belle gasped. She breathed deeply before opening her eyes once more.

“What was he doing out there? What were you guys doing out there?” Belle asked.

“We were trying to see if the boundary remained. And it does. He told us before he crossed that he was going to bring Rose home,” the leader told Belle. Tears sprang up in Belle’s eyes.

“Where?” she choked. The man shook his head.

“I don’t know. He told us he had no idea who Lancelot was before grabbing a piece of paper and climbing back in the car. He drove off while reading the paper,” the leader said.

“Not the smartest driving,” another of the dwarves stated. 

“I hope he remembers where Rose is,” Belle murmured. 

“We all do,” Hook told her, hugging her tightly. 

“At least she’s alive.”


	31. Chapter 31

Belle:

As soon as she got over the fact that she was holding her daughter, all grown up, in her arms, she realized something seemed…off. Everyone was confused. Irritated. Lost. 

As if they’d been expecting to go back. But that wasn’t the case. They wouldn’t go back. At least, not until they found Rose and Bae. 

Rose and Bae. Belle’s heart swelled as she thought of them. She pulled back, staring at Lacey. The girl’s hair was golden. It hadn’t been before, but she’d only been a baby. Belle moved to run her hand through the girl’s hair.

Solid gold.

“Isn’t it crazy?” Lacey asked as she sighed, leaning back into Belle.

“How did that happen?” Belle asked her daughter. Lacey smiled up at Belle once more.

“Rose thinks it was to show we had magic still in this world. Watch!” Lacey exclaimed, grabbing a piece of paper from her jeans pocket. She dropped it and stared. 

Belle watched as the paper scrap hovered in the air. Not sinking. Just remaining there. Until Lacey blinked. She beamed up at Belle. 

“As touching as this is, we need to find Maleficent.”

Belle turned around to see the blue fairy standing there. Mother Superior, as she was known as here. The woman had hated Belle in this world. Now her face held apology, but Belle shrugged it off. 

They were cursed.

“I’ll find her,” Belle said, standing up.

“Not alone you won’t. I’m coming with you,” Emma said.

“As am I. The two of you are worthless against her. No offense,” Regina said. Emma shrugged.

“None taken. You know her better than any of us,” Emma said.

“Actually, I might know her best,” Belle corrected, frowning. 

“I’m coming too!” Lacey said, just as Henry jumped up as well, nodding.

“No,” Regina said just as Belle did. Both children frowned.

“I’m just as old as Emma!” Henry protested. Lacey nodded.

“And I have magic!” Lacey added. 

“Plus, she’s still kind of my mother,” Lacey added. Belle winced at her words. 

“No. Only Regina and Belle will go. You’re right, Henry. You’re as old as me. And we’d both be pretty useless against her,” Emma said. Henry frowned but said nothing. Lacey glared but, luckily, didn’t press it.

Belle and Regina quickly left the hospital, although it left Belle’s chest aching to leave her newly found daughter so quickly. 

They approached the mayor’s house with Regina leading. She kicked down the door with such ease that it made Belle wonder what Regina had spent the last who knew how many years doing. 

The two of them stormed the place, looking around anxiously.

“Should we have brought a gun?” Belle asked nervously. The door behind them slammed shut, causing Belle to spin around, worried. Regina didn’t even move. There was no one behind them.

A chuckle caused Belle to turn back around so quickly she nearly fell. Maleficent was leaning against the kitchen table, glaring daggers at them. 

“Well well well. Look who it is. And your question? A gun wouldn’t have helped you,” Maleficent said snidely. Regina laughed at her. The sound sent a chill down Belle’s spine, making her truly question Regina’s motives. What if Regina wasn’t as good as Belle thought she was?

“Please. You have less power than you pretend to have. Drop the act. You’re probably nearing the last of your magic,” Regina called her out. Maleficent didn’t object this, merely glared at Regina. Her eyes drifted over to Belle. 

“Why couldn’t you have just left well enough alone? You’re always screwing up my plans,” Maleficent spat maliciously. 

“Always? I saved Phillip. That’s all I ever did,” Belle shot back. Maleficent laughed hollowly, glaring at her still.

“Is that all you remember? Seriously?” Maleficent asked. Belle couldn’t help but nod.

“You’re the reason my true love died. You killed him,” Maleficent spat at her. Belle’s eyes widened.

“I didn’t kill anyone!” she protested, backing up. Regina grabbed her shoulders, keeping her from retreating.

“Yes. You did. His name was Adam. Do you remember him?” Maleficent asked bitingly. Belle started to shake her head but as she did, a sharp pain flitted through her head. She gasped suddenly. 

Yes. Adam. She remembered that name.

A flash of a face appeared in her head. A worried face. A young male, standing in front of her in the dark woods, asking her if anything was wrong.

As suddenly as the image had come, it vanished. 

“So you do remember him. Let me refresh your memory,” Maleficent said angrily, pushing herself to sit on the table. Her eyes never left Belle’s eyes. 

“You were five. You got lost in the woods. Adam and I were on our way to our wedding. We had little Aurora with us. The brat fell out of the carriage and saw a light in the woods. Adam, being the kind person he was, decided to investigate,” Maleficent said. 

Belle watched as her eyes filled with hurt and pain at the memory. 

“You were curled up by a tree. A bright blue light was hovering above your head. Adam tried talking to you, seeing if you were okay. But the moment he spoke, the light shot out at him and electrocuted him. You killed him,” Maleficent said hatefully. Her words evoked a memory. 

She had killed him.

“She’s lying. You only have good magic in you. Good magic couldn’t kill someone,” Regina said simply. Belle shook her head.

“But she’s right. I did kill him. Is that why you hate Aurora? Cause she fell?” Belle asked, feeling somewhat hollow.

“If she hadn’t fallen, Adam would have never seen your light and we’d be married. Happy. But you stole that from us,” Maleficent hissed.

“Belle couldn’t have killed him. He’s probably still alive. She might have shocked him, or displaced his spirit, but good magic cannot kill,” Regina said. The words seemed to horrify Maleficent.

“He’s still frozen. So I don’t think he was simply shocked,” Maleficent shot back at Regina. 

“Maybe his spirit’s been displaced. It’s happened before. It happens when the wraith steals souls,” Regina said. Belle’s eyes widened.

“I’m like a wraith?” Belle asked in horror. Regina shook her head.

“Of course not. But something similar could have happened. You need to talk to the Blue Fairy. She’d be able to tell you if that is what happened,” Regina recommended. Maleficent’s face contorted at that moment to hatred. Belle’s eyes squeezed shut…

And they were no longer in Maleficent’s house. When she opened her eyes, they were standing outside Rum’s pawnshop. 

“How..?” Belle started but Regina shook her head.

“I made sure before we went in that I’d have enough magic for a sudden escape. We will have to talk to the Blue Fairy later about this mysterious blue light. Unless she was making it up?” Regina asked. Belle shook her head.

“It’s the truth. Her words jogged my memory,” Belle said. Regina shook her head.

“That’s not good. I’m going to go fetch the children. Go say hi to your husband,” Regina ordered, giving her a light push towards the shop. Belle swallowed and nodded, pushing the door open.

He wasn’t in the main portion of the shop. For that, she was eternally grateful. What would she say to him? This was ridiculous. She’d been forced to marry the man not once, but twice now. Not only that, but her body was younger than what she was. It did nothing more than frustrate her. She had to be younger than Bae now. How would he take that? Not well, she assumed.

“The shop’s closed….Belle,” Mr. Gold said, freezing. Belle allowed a smile to tug itself to her lips.

“Rumplestiltskin,” Belle greeted. The cane dropped from Rumplestiltskin’s hand and he stumbled forward, crashing into her. His arms wrapped themselves tightly around her and Belle had no idea what to do, except for return his affection. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to call me by name,” Rumplestiltskin whispered in her ear. The door to the shop opened but neither of them separated.

“Mom? Dad?” Lacey’s voice asked. Belle pulled away from Rumplestiltskin and smiled widely, holding her arms out. Lacey’s grin nearly split her face as she ran and jumped into Belle’s arms. Belle hugged her to her body closely. Rumplestiltskin hugged them as well and for a moment, Belle felt almost content. 

Lacey’s eyes shifted up.

“Are we going to find my sister and brother now?” Lacey asked. 

“Not immediately. We have to deal with some things. And find out if the boundary is still in affect now that the curse is broken,” Rumplestiltskin said.   
“It is. Lancelot crossed the line and lost all of his real memories. He’d written something down. He was going after Rose,” Belle said, feeling her gut twist. Rum stared at her in horror.

“Why was he going after Rose?” Rum asked. Belle shook her head.

“I have no idea. But we can’t leave the town until we find a way around this,” Belle told him. Rum’s expression turned grim and he separated from them.

“I have things I need to do. Will I see you two at home later?” he asked hopefully. Lacey nodded immediately, as did Belle. The two of them left the pawn shop and headed down the streets.

“Can I see Maleficent?” Lacey asked. Belle winced.

“That probably isn’t a wise idea,” Belle told her.

“But she’s still my mom. Sort of,” Lacey amended. The words shot through Belle and frustrated her. 

“First we need to go see Mother Superior. The Blue Fairy. I need to ask her something,” Belle told Lacey, slipping her hand inside of Lacey’s hand.

When they reached the convent, Belle was ecstatic to see Mother Superior. She’d taken a gamble at assuming the nun/fairy would return to the convent so soon. They hurried over to her. Her eyes widened at the sight of Belle.

“I am so sorry for how I treated you,” Mother Superior apologized instantly. Belle shook her head, waving her off.

“We were cursed. I need your help,” Belle said. Mother Superior looked at her, confused.

“I don’t have magic here. No one does,” she told Belle sadly.

“That’s a lie. There is magic here. Mal has magic. Regina can get some by eating Mal’s magical apples. I bet Rum has some. And Lacey has it,” Belle said, hoping she’d mentioned everyone. Mother Superior looked floored to hear that.

“Well…that’s unexpected,” she murmured. Belle shook her head.

“That’s not why we’re here. Can good magic kill someone?” Belle asked. Mother Superior looked horrified to hear the words.

“Absolutely not! It goes against anything good,” Mother Superior exclaimed. Belle felt bile rise up in her.

“I killed someone. With my magic. When I was a child,” Belle told her. Mother Superior shook her head.

“It’s impossible. I know for a fact that you are purely good magic. Your mother, poor soul, was my most prized student. She gave up her magic to marry and live with your father. However, when she gave birth to you, it sucked out the magic she had left in her. And your father’s line had good magic laced in it. There is no way you killed anyone,” Mother Superior said with finality.

“It was Maleficent’s fiancé,” Belle told her grimly. She recounted what Mal had told her and when she was done, Mother Superior was frowning.

“You didn’t kill him. But I’ve never heard of that happening before. Maybe his soul was just displaced?” Mother Superior asked.

“That’s what Regina suggested. But where is it? How do I find it?” Belle asked. Mother Superior shook her head.

“It would remain somewhere in the Enchanted Forest, I believe. I’ll try to see if I can find out any other information for you,” Mother Superior said, turning on her heel. It was quite the effective dismissal. Belle walked with Lacey back to town, mulling over her words. 

“Where is Maleficent?” Lacey asked. 

“At the jail, I’m assuming. I bet Emma put her in my old cell,” Belle said, chuckling. She approached the jail house, only to see absolute chaos. Cars were flipped over, light posts broke.

“What’s going on?” Lacey asked, terrified. Their questions were answered when they saw a large black…thing…floating in the air. Towards the jail. Belle’s blood ran cold.

A wraith. 

She took off running, Lacey on her trail. 

They entered the jail. But it was too late. Maleficent collapsed on the ground and the wraith disappeared into a necklace. Lacey gasped and reached for the necklace, but Belle grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

“Don’t touch that. It will mark you,” Belle told her. 

Regina came running in, gasping for breath. She saw Mal’s crumpled body and stopped.

“Belle, we are having a meeting at town hall right now. We need you there,” Regina said. Belle followed her, keeping a quietly crying Lacey with them. When they entered, Belle saw that all of the people who were important were there. The people who knew of the original curse.

Granny had her crossbow, to which Ruby was rolling her eyes. Rum looked pleased and Belle got the bad feeling that he had caused Mal’s death. She didn’t have a huge problem with it…but Lacey would. It would tear the little girl apart. Little John was with Abigail, talking to the Blue Fairy. Emma and her parents were talking, reunited, along with Henry. 

“Why did you need us all here?” Rum asked the moment Regina walked in. Regina shook her head, motioning for everyone to sit. Sit they all did. 

“Not everyone was taken from our world. We discovered this. The curse. It didn’t destroy our world, did it?” Regina asked Rum. Rum shook his head.

“No. Not utterly. I doubt Mal changed that aspect,” Rum said. Regina nodded.

“Mal’s gone. That problem is…dealt with. However, I fear we have another problem. Does anyone know what happened to my mother?” Regina asked. Silence erupted throughout the room. 

“This isn’t good. If I know my mother, she’ll be here. Somehow. And she’ll cause a lot of problems,” Regina said.

Belle’s blood ran cold. This was going to be a long meeting.

 

Rose:

She woke up warm. And comfortable. And….in someone’s arms?

The thought made her eyes shoot open quickly. She was trapped in the Knave’s arms. The realization made her eyes narrow. She shoved him away from her, smirking as he hit the ground in a loud oomph. The sound woke Jefferson up. He glared over at her.

“What are you doing? It’s early,” he complained. 

“I was being molested,” Rose stated airily.

“You were not!” Knave protested, his voice slightly muffled from under the blankets. 

“We need to get going,” Rose said, ignoring both of them. She got up and dashed into the bathroom. 

First shower. The thought made her smile. Guess who wasn’t going to get any hot water?

 

When they finally left the hotel, Rose was extremely antsy. She couldn’t explain it but she felt like she was being pulled somewhere. That was all answered, however, when she saw a dilapidated building. She stopped in front of it, closing her eyes. Yes. She felt a strong feeling about that building. She took a step forward but a hand held her back.

“We aren’t going there,” Jefferson said firmly. Rose shook his hand off of her shoulder.

“We are. Deal with it,” she said snidely. She dashed into the building, the others hot on her trail. 

She was correct. There was something there. The inside was elaborately decorated with bright colors and fake gold. It reminded her of a gypsy caravan. 

A beaded curtain parted and a woman smiled at them. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, with wild jet black hair and gorgeous blue eyes. 

“Come. I’ve been expecting you,” she said, holding the curtain back so they could follow her. Rose did without hesitation. The others were skeptical.

“Daughter of Rumplestiltskin, I saw you’d be coming,” she said as they sat down. Rose nodded to her. 

“You’ll be getting a phone call for me in five seconds,” Rose told her, staring back at her with an equally blank expression. Sure enough, the gypsy’s phone began ringing and the gypsy handed Rose the phone without even looking at it. Rose’s eyes never left the gypsy’s as she snapped the phone open.

“Hello?” she asked.

“Is this the Rose I’m supposed to find?” Lancelot’s voice asked. 

“Yes. I take it you cannot remember me anymore?” Rose asked.

“No. I don’t. But I have a paper that leads me to believe I know you. I’m speeding and almost to Chicago. Where should I meet you?” Lancelot asked. 

“Sears Tower. Can’t miss it,” Rose told him without missing a beat. 

“Okay. I’ll meet you there in an hour,” he told her. Rose hung up and handed the phone back to the gypsy. 

“We’ve got thirty minutes so we have time to make it to the tower,” Rose said, announcing it rather than telling it to one person specifically.

“Do you know why we’re here?” Rose asked. The gypsy nodded. Jefferson sat down next to Rose, sending her a light glare.

“Then can you tell me? Because no one seems to tell me anything,” Jefferson complained lightly. The gypsy girl tilted her head, staring at Jefferson for a moment. 

“You desire to know if the power is going to consume Rose like it has her fathers. The genie wishes to know if this is the end of their struggles. The soldier wants to know why he feels so conflicted. The only thing I can’t figure out is why you are here,” the gypsy said to Rose. 

“Answer them first,” Rose suggested. Because while she had this infinite amount of wisdom in her, she couldn’t find exactly what she wanted to know.

The gypsy glanced at Jefferson.

“Yes. It will,” she answered simply. The answer pained Jefferson.

“How can we stop it?” he asked her anxiously. 

“You can’t. Only one person can. And that’s not even Rose herself,” the gypsy said ominously. 

“Then who?” Jefferson demanded.

“A little girl,” was all the gypsy would say. She then turned to Cyrus.

“No. It’s not the end. But everything will work out for you and your dear Alice,” the gypsy told Cyrus. Cyrus didn’t ask any questions, nor did Alice. 

“You’re conflicted because you’re experiencing certain emotions for the first time,” the gypsy told Knave.

“No I’m not,” Knave responded automatically. The glare the gypsy shot him was scathing.

“Of course you are. You’re smitten. And furious at the fact,” the gypsy pointed out, dismissing him. She turned back to Rose expectantly. 

“The future isn’t something I feel I should know,” Rose answered carefully. The gypsy smiled at her.

“You are wise. Wise beyond your years. Your father would be proud of you,” she said. The words struck a chord in Rose. She didn’t know if she believed the words or not.

“You think so?” she asked hesitantly. The gypsy stood, as did Rose.

“I do indeed.”

 

They left the gypsy when she announced she had to feed her pet goat. It was a silent trek to the Sears Tower, and by the time they got there, Lancelot was waiting on them. Rose walked up to him and hugged him. After a moment, the man hugged her back.

“Rose?” he asked her hesitantly and Rose couldn’t keep the tears from sprouting from her eyes. Everyone piled in the car.

Rose spent most of the day trying to explain to him his past to him. He was skeptical, but listened. And seemed to believe her.

After all, he had driven halfway across the country, breaking many speeding laws, to get to her. 

That had to count for something. 

 

“Do you want me to drive for awhile?” Rose asked as it got dark. Lancelot shook his head, eying the girl from the corner of his eyes.

“You’re too young,” he said simply.

“I’m fifteen. That’s old enough to have a permit,” Rose protested.

“Do you have a permit?” Lancelot questioned. Rose merely huffed and crossed her arms, irrated.

No. She didn’t have a permit. Why would she? She lived in Manhattan. 

 

So he continued driving. She lost track of the time. But it was late. Sometime after they crossed the New York border, the worst happened.

 

All Rose remembered was a bright light and a lot of pain.


	32. Chapter 32

Belle:

She was right. It was a long meeting. But it was finally wrapping up. They only had one question they were still pondering.

“Mal didn’t bring everyone over. It’s highly probable that she left Cora in the Enchanted Forest. Cora and Mal didn’t get along, did they?” Charming, David Nolan, asked Regina. Regina nodded.

“They hated each other,” Regina confirmed. 

“After all, Mulan and Philip and Aurora aren’t here,” Mary Margaret added. 

“But if she’s in the Enchanted Forest, she’s probably trying to find a way here. And there has to be a way here, right?” Granny asked apprehensively.

“No. There really isn’t. Trust me. Rum and I looked,” Belle pointed out.

“But dark magic has a way of twisting things,” the blue fairy pointed out. 

“You’re one to talk,” Rum shot back at her. 

“Everyone! We need to get along and focus on the problem at hand. We need to start getting defenses ready in case Cora somehow manages to come through,” Mary Margaret said.

“I think that’s everything right now,” David said, standing.

“What about the line?” Grumpy asked. This made David sit right back down.

“Are we sure it’ll happen every time?” David asked. Grumpy stared at him like he’d grown a second head.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you try it?” Grumpy asked him sarcastically. David’s hands flew up.

“I was just trying to get information,” David muttered, looking hurt. 

“The whole point of coming to this world was to find Bae, Rose and Lacey. Without being able to cross the line, we can’t do that,” Belle said, irritated. 

“That’s not entirely true. Lancelot is on his way to pick up Rose now. Remember that. And Lacey’s here already,” Mary Margaret said, trying to sound cheerful. Even she was starting to fail.

“But what about Bae? We can’t just send Lancelot to fetch Bae. Bae will not come. He probably still hates Rum,” Belle pointed out. 

“He does,” Lacey said. 

“Are you sure?” Rum asked her. Lacey nodded.

“I was old enough to remember things when I was adopted. Bae told me that you abandoned us and took our mother from us,” Lacey told him. The words made Rumplestiltskin wince but he nodded nonetheless.

“What if someone went with him to tell him the truth? Like Emma or Henry?” Mary Margaret suggested. She looked hurt to be the one suggesting it. Belle could tell that the last thing Mary Margaret wanted was for her daughter to leave on a trip when they had just been reunited.

“That won’t work,” Henry pointed out.

“Oh?” Regina asked her son. 

“Bae saw me. He saw me and August a lot and August terrified him. And he threatened Milah and Hook to leave the city,” Henry pointed out.

“August?” David asked, confused.

“Pinocchio. Bae knows who he was. Wait. Shouldn’t August have been back by now?” Henry asked, instantly alarmed. 

“Something must’ve happened to him!” Lacey exclaimed, eyes wide. 

“But who would try to harm him?” Emma asked. No one could give her answer. Again, David stood.

“Grumpy, can you and the dwarves start patrolling the town line? Make sure no one accidentally crosses it. Mary Margaret will give a speech telling people what’s happened. Hook, do you want to go with them? You can cross the line if necessary,” David suggested. Hook nodded, standing alongside Grumpy. 

“What are you planning on doing?” David asked Rumplestiltskin. The man stared at David for a moment.

“Why do you assume I’m going to do something?” Rumplestiltskin asked. David scoffed at him. 

“We all know what happened to Mal was no accident,” David said. Belle’s heart plummeted. David was right. It was too much of a coincidence for Mal to die that way. Not without a little help. From Rumplestiltskin. 

“If you must know, I’m bringing magic back. All of it. So we can better fight Cora if she shows up. And so I can enact the last part of an idea I have to get me over the line to find Bae,” Rum told him. David sighed.

“I’d rather you didn’t, but I know better than to assume you’ll listen,” David muttered before turning and walking away. Rum stood and Belle and Lacey were left to walk after him.

“Is it true? Did you kill Maleficent?” Lacey asked him, eyes wide. Rum shrugged.

“The wraith killed her,” he said simply. Belle couldn’t believe him.

“You have the audacity to say that?” Belle asked in disbelief. Rum got in his car and after a moment, Lacey and Belle got in as well. 

“Yes. I have the audacity to say that. She was in the way. I took care of her. That’s one less problem for this town,” Rum all but growled.

“But she still raised me for six year of my life,” Lacey said, her voice small. Rum didn’t say anything. 

“Sometimes, I wonder if you really have changed, or if you’re still that monster that raped me in the woods years before,” Belle said before she could stop herself. The car slammed to a stop and Rum turned to her, eyes furious.

“Don’t you even say that! Ever. I am nothing like Zoso. NOTHING!” Rum roared, furious. 

“You sure aren’t doing anything to prove otherwise!” Belle shouted right back at him. Rum opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the radio exploded.

“STOP FIGHTING! Please!” Lacey cried from the backseat. Both Belle and Rum turned around quickly. The ten year old had tears streaming down her face. 

And a brown streak in her hair. Belle’s hand shot back to her, stroking the streak.

It was normal hair.

“Lacey,” Belle breathed, glancing back at the smoking radio. Lacey’s own eyes were wide when she acknowledged the radio.

“Did I do that?” she asked in a small voice. Belle nodded. 

“Get to the house. Now,” Belle ordered Rum, eyes still on Lacey. The car sped onward, pulling into his driveway in record time. Belle hurried out of the car and picked up Lacey, cradling her close to her chest. Rum moved close to them but Belle shook her head.

“Go take care of the potion. We’ll be fine,” Belle dismissed him, still angry with him. Rum, without a word, made his way to the shed. 

 

Jefferson:

When he was able to blearily crack his eyes open, he was greeted with the sight of disaster. Their car was wrapped around another. Cyrus, Knave, and Alice were unconscious still. As was Lancelot. The man looked bloody. Another glance at the three in the back with him showed that they too were bloody.

His eyes sought out Rose. The girl wasn’t in the car. And the windshield was shattered. She was lying on top of the other car, bleeding. But conscious. Her eyes found his.

“Get help, Jefferson. Get my parents. Find someone and bring them to us. We’re near the border of New York,” Rose begged. She groaned slightly. Jefferson nodded, unbuckling his seat belt. He tried the door but it was stuck. It wouldn’t budge. 

“I can’t get out,” he told Rose. But her eyes were drifting shut. The sun was fading in the horizon, and he could detect a faint glimmer of gold to her hair. So she was regenerating her magic. 

“Get help,” Rose repeated. Jefferson noticed that there was someone else out there. Whoever had been driving the other car, he assumed. They were on their cell phone, as Rose called them, and gesturing wildly. 

Jefferson’s eyes drifted back to Rose. Her eyes were open once more and looked determined. He could see Belle in her at that moment. And he had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what she was going to do. Her eyes all but glared at him. 

He knew he wasn’t going to like it. That was the expression she used when she was summoning dark magic.

“Rose, don’t!” Jefferson tried saying, but he was cut off when he felt his entire body tingling. 

He blinked, and when his eyes opened, he was not there anymore.

He was in the middle of the woods, standing on a road. In the distance was a green sign. He couldn’t make out the words, but he started walking nonetheless. 

Hook:

The dwarves were awful company. Hook had no clue why he bothered agreeing. It’s not like there was anything going on out there.

“Look! Someone’s coming this way!” Grumpy’s voice called out. Hook’s eyes instantly snapped to Grumpy, who was pointing along the road.

Sure enough, a man was limping towards them. His eyes widened when he saw them, and Grumpy looked shocked as well.

“Jefferson?” Grumpy asked. Jefferson crossed the line and was swept into a hug. But he refused to stay in the hug. Hook examined the man carefully. He had a shallow cut on his forehead and was limping, but otherwise looked fine. 

“We need to get help. There was a car accident. Rose sent me here. But I think it hurt her more to do it,” Jefferson said.

“Rose?” Hook said, feeling his worry mount. Jefferson nodded. 

“They’re near –,” he didn’t have a chance to finish. Hook saw what was happening first. A car was driving towards them. Hook shoved Jefferson out of the way as fast as he could, but before he could move, the car slammed into him. 

The force caused him to fly over the car, hitting the ground hard. The car slammed into a tree. When Hook managed to prop himself up, he spat out blood. His eyes found a shocked Jefferson and Grumpy.

“Call for help, idiot,” Hook told Grumpy. Grumpy whipped out his cell phone and started dialing while Jefferson kneeled by him.

“Why did you save me?” Jefferson asked, shocked.

“You’re the only person that knew where Rose was,” Hook said. It hurt to talk. His ribs hurt like a bitch. He decided he hated cars. Boats were safer. He would never get in a blasted car if he could help it. Damn deathtraps. 

 

Rumplestiltskin:

The strands lit up purple and started twisting around themselves. It caused a small smile to tug itself onto Rum’s lips. He thought about telling Belle of his success, but he could only see the hatred she’d shot in his direction. 

No. He’d wait. She’d figure it out. He took the glass vial and got in his car, driving away quickly.

The drive to the well was semi-uneventful. He heard sirens going off just as he left town, but he knew Belle and Lacey were fine.

He hoped they were fine, anyway. 

He hurriedly got out of his car and limped up to the well. He hated the damn limp. It was Mal’s idea of mocking him. Belle had been the one with the limp, yet he’d been given it. Along with the old man appearance. Everything had been done to keep him and Belle far apart. And it would have worked. 

After all, why would a twenty-two year old prostitute go after a fifty year old man with a limp? 

The thoughts irritated him as he dropped the potion in the well. The vial sparkled as it tumbled into the well. He heard the distinct splash as it hit the water and a wisp of purple smoke drifted upward. His lips curled into a smile.

Magic was here.

 

Belle:

She got the call while her and Lacey were eating. The phone in the kitchen started ringing and, after a moment of hesitation, Belle answered it.

“Hello?” she asked cautiously.

“Belle! You need to come to the hospital immediately!” Mary Margaret said. Belle clutched the phone tightly. Rumplestiltskin had taken off a little while ago. Was he hurt?

“What happened?” Belle asked, glancing at Lacey. The girl had frozen, fork midway to her mouth.

“Jefferson appeared near the town line. Hook got hit by a car protecting him. Jefferson says Rose is hurt!” Mary Margaret said, distressed. Belle hung up the phone quickly, throwing the food uncovered in the fridge.

“Grab your jacket. We have to go to the hospital. It’s about your sister,” Belle told Lacey. Lacey was out the door in heartbeat, Belle on her trail.

The hospital wasn’t too far away, and since Rumplestiltskin had taken the only car they were forced to run it. And run they did. They arrived at the hospital out of breath and anxious. When Belle saw Jefferson, she couldn’t resist running up to him and hugging him.

“Jefferson! Where have you been? Where’s Rose?” Belle asked, anxiously looking around. 

“I was in Wonderland, trapped there. Rose is somewhere near the border of a place called New York. Lancelot wrecked the carriage we were in and Rose transported me here. We have to go help her and the others!” Jefferson said.

“Others?” Belle asked, confused. Jefferson nodded.

“Yeah. We have friends with us,” Jefferson said. Belle started to ask a nurse about Hook’s condition when the nurse dropped her tray on the ground, eyes wide in shock. Belle glanced out the window and froze as well. 

A massive purple cloud was coming their way. It resembled the curse cloud, but there wasn’t any green in this one.

“It’s magic,” Lacey said in awe as the cloud approached rapidly.

Magic was here. 

“We need to go get them!” Jefferson repeated as soon as the cloud was gone.

“We can’t cross the line. Rum will create something. And for Rose’s sake, he’d bettered create it soon,” Belle said darkly. 

“Since magic is here, can I use magic now?” Lacey asked excitedly. Jefferson gave her a worried look.

“Don’t. Please,” Jefferson begged. This only got a confused look from both Belle and Lacey.

“Rose. After Wonderland, when we got back to our world, she started using her magic like she had before. Only she was using the dark magic in her to do everything. It’s…it’s changing her,” Jefferson said quietly. Those words sent chills down Belle’s spine. After all, dark magic had changed Rumplestiltskin so drastically.

But Rose had equal parts good magic in her. That had to count for something. Either way, she knew they needed to get to her husband immediately. 

 

Rumplestiltskin:

He was back at his house quickly, working on the potions he’d already started. If he was correct – and he was sure he was – the potion would allow him to cross the town line. He added the rest of the true love potion to his already partially finished potion and watched as it glowed. 

Yes.

He draped the baby blanket around his shoulders and tucked it into his suit. It was time to find his children. 

He headed upstairs, only to see that Belle, Lacey and…Jefferson?

When did Jefferson get here? 

They entered, followed closely by Emma. Emma, who was carrying Ali. 

“Was that magic?” Emma asked, eyes holding confusion. She was still trying to readjust, it seemed. Rumplestiltskin nodded. 

“Jefferson. Long time no see,” Rumplestiltskin said. Jefferson shook his head.

“We need to get Rose. She’s in a hospital somewhere,” Jefferson said quickly. Rumplestiltskin’s blood seemed to boil at that.

“I’ve got something that can allow me to cross the border without losing my memory. Take me to her,” Rumplestiltskin ordered Jefferson.

“You can’t do that,” Emma pointed out. Everyone spun on her.

“Oh? Why not, dearie?” Rumplestiltskin asked scathingly. 

“She’s a minor. Her legal guardian is not you two. You need her legal guardian to get her out of the hospital,” Emma pointed out. 

“We need Bae first,” Belle breathed.

“You can’t come,” Rumplestiltskin pointed out. Belle’s eyes flashed.

“They’re my children. I’m coming,” Belle said.

“No. You don’t understand. You literally can’t. The potion worked for one. I could make up another, but that would take more time and I don’t have anything of yours that is extremely precious to you. Do you?” Rumplestiltskin challenged.

“My most precious items were Rose, Bae and Lacey,” Belle mumbled.

“Exactly. Don’t worry. I’ll bring them back,” he reassured her. 

“I want to go!” Lacey cried.

“No. Stay with your mother. I don’t want her left alone,” Rumplestiltskin told the girl. Lacey pouted but said nothing. Rumplestiltskin turned to Emma.

“I need you to come with us. You owe me a favor. I’m cashing in. I don’t know my way around this world. You do,” Rumplestiltskin pointed out. Emma’s expression turned to one of fear and her eyes shifted around.

“Jefferson could do that,” Emma tried, but Jefferson shook my head.

“Rose has been trying and failing to teach us the ways of this world for the last few days,” Jefferson pointed out. 

“He may not even remember you,” Lacey offered to Emma, whose glare turned on the child. Lacey offered an apologetic smile.

“Wait. Emma. How do you know him?” Belle asked suspiciously. Emma shifted Ali in her arms.

“I know him from the Enchanted Forest. How else?” Emma asked. But she was lying. Rumplestiltskin could tell.

“And why does that worry you?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Emma shook her head. She looked like she was going to lie. Or omit something.

“We might have kissed, back in our world,” Emma muttered. It was the truth, but Rumplestiltskin could sense her holding something back. What it was, he had no idea. He brushed it off.

“Nevertheless, we need to leave. Go pack up some stuff. We need to hurry,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“How do you plan on finding him? Do you have even the slightest clue as to where he is?” Emma asked scathingly. 

“Manhattan,” Lacey piped up. 

“How do you know?” Emma turned on the girl.

“I just do. I called his number by accident. He lives in Manhattan. In an apartment. Give me a paper. I’ll get the address too,” Lacey told them, closing her eyes. Rumplestiltskin quickly passed the child a paper and pen and she scrawled an address down.

“There. That’s where he lives,” Lacey said triumphantly. Belle was staring at her in confusion.

“How…?” Belle started but drifted off.

“Rose had crazy powers like that too. Even before magic was brought back,” Jefferson said. 

“Go get ready,” Rumplestiltskin repeated once more. Emma and Ali left, and Jefferson bent dwn so he was eye level with Lacey.

“I know you don’t remember me, but I’m your Uncle Jefferson,” Jefferson told her. Lacey smiled at him and nodded. Jefferson’s own smile was blinding as he reached out and ruffled her hair.

“I want you to make me a promise, Lacey,” Jefferson told her seriously, glancing up at Rumplestiltskin. Rum was confused. He had no idea what Jefferson could possibly want Lacey to promise him.

“I want you to, no matter what, never use your dark magic. Only use the good magic. For good things,” Jefferson begged the girl. Lacey’s expression turned to one of confusion.

“Why would I use bad magic?” she asked, confused. Her nose was wrinkled up as well. Jefferson’s eyes strayed to Rumplestiltskin.

“Dark magic has a way of corrupting people. Even your sister has started using it. Promise me you won’t,” Jefferson begged the child. Lacey nodded, still looking confused.

“Rose is using dark magic?” Rumplestiltskin asked sharply. It concerned him, but at the same time he couldn’t help feeling slightly prideful at the realization.

Prideful?

How dare he? It would corrupt his daughter just like it had corrupted him. No. He didn’t want that to happen. 

He couldn’t let that happen.


	33. Chapter 33

Rumplestiltskin:

They were only waiting on Emma to return before they could leave. Jefferson was playing with Ali and Lacey in the next room and judging from all the giggles, they were having fun.

Belle was curled up in his favorite arm chair, staring out the window. Rumplestiltskin was staring at her. 

“Where did everything go wrong?” Belle asked suddenly. Rumplestiltskin jumped slightly at her words. Her eyes found his and they didn’t hold malice or anger, like they seemed to have been holding recently. There was just confusion. 

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. And he didn’t. The curse should have been perfect, and would have been had Mal not been involved. And he had no idea when she had wormed her way into the whole thing.

“Between us, I mean,” Belle amended, eyes still on him. His eyes widened minutely. 

Oh.

“Were things ever perfect for us?” Rum couldn’t help but asking. Belle sighed, staring out the window.

“I once overheard Snow when she was Mary Margaret giving love advice to someone. Emma maybe. She said if true love were easy, we’d all have it,” Belle said, her voice almost forlorn. Her eyes drifted away from him.

“If I could take you with me, I would,” Rum began. Belle shook her head.

“No. It’s not about that. I want to go more than anything, but you are right. You’re always right,” Belle mumbled the last part under her breath. This elicited a grin from Rumplestiltskin.

“Except for when I’m wrong. That happens too, dearie,” he told her teasingly. Belle smiled at him.

“We were happy, once. For a time. When I was pregnant with Lacey before I was kidnapped. We were happy then,” Belle stated. Rum nodded, smiling.

“We were. Things were…simpler, then,” he said. Belle nodded.

“When you get back, can we work on it again? On being happy together?” Belle asked him hesitantly. Rum’s eyes found hers so fast he felt like the world was spinning. 

“Of course we can! Why wouldn’t we be able to?” he all but exclaimed. Belle wrapped her arms haphazardly around her legs that were tucked into the chair as well. She looked so small at that moment, so helpless.

When she didn’t say anything, Rum stood and made his way over to her chair. He sank down next to it, wincing slightly as his knee hit the ground. Belle’s head swiveled around immediately to stare at him. 

“Belle, I married you not once, but twice, because I love you. The first time may not have been for love, but it turned into love. And the second time, while you were unaware of what was happening, I knew exactly what was going on. I will do whatever it takes to make this work. And as soon as I get back, we’ll be one big happy family again,” Rumplestiltskin vowed. 

This didn’t give him the smile he had been aiming for. Instead, tears sprang from Belle’s eyes. 

“But you’re not the problem!” Belle protested.

This left Rumplestiltskin confused. Him not the problem? But…hadn’t he caused all of this? 

“I’m the one who’s been messing things up from the beginning. Even since I escaped the previous Dark One’s dungeons, I’ve been messing up. I should have come straight to you when I escaped instead of allowing myself to be talked into waiting. I should have gone with you instead of punishing you by not allowing you to touch our children. Even here, I’ve been screwing everything up,” Belle cried. 

“No. You haven’t been. Calm down,” Rumplestiltskin told her, standing back up once more. 

He pulled Belle up to her feet as well. She stood unsteadily, unsure. Rumplestiltskin wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

“Everything’s been really stressing and confusing these last few days. Don’t worry. I’m just glad you don’t hate me anymore. Everything will work out. Emma’s about to walk in,” Rumplestiltskin added the last part just as Emma walked in.

She’d obviously heard quite a bit.

“Not to break this all up, but shouldn’t we be going so we can get back here?” Emma asked. Rumplestiltskin nodded, kissing Belle’s lips gently before pulling back. 

“We’ll be back soon, and then all three of your children will be with you once more,” Rumplestiltskin told her.

“Our children,” Belle corrected him with a small smile. The smile was infectious and Rumplestiltskin smiled as well.

“Yes. Our children,” he amended.

He told Lacey goodbye and him, Jefferson and Emma with Ali hurried into his car. 

“How are we even going to find Bae?” Jefferson asked as Rumplestiltskin started the car. 

“I was able to pinpoint his location right before the curse broke. I used magic to confirm it after I finished my potion to let me go over the line,” Rumplestiltskin pointed out.

“You sure spent your time wisely,” Emma said sarcastically. Rum made it a point to ignore that statement.

“So where is he?” Emma asked.

“Manhattan,” Rumplestiltskin said simply. 

As they crossed the line, Rumplestiltskin began glowing.

But he still remembered who he was.

It had worked.

 

Henry:

Rose was still at her father’s house. And he was bored.

He overheard them talking about leaving and no one had asked him to come. He knew exactly where Bae was! He’d met Bae before! Why hadn’t he been allowed to go?

For a few minutes, he’d considered sneaking into the back of their car but decided against it. His mother would be extremely upset if he left without saying goodbye. Again.

He didn’t want to think about how long it’d taken him to be reunited with her last time. He didn’t plan on taking that risk again. 

Henry kicked another rock as he took a shortcut through an alley to his mom’s house. The rock stopped right in front of…feet?

Henry’s eyes shot up, only to see a woman standing in front of him. A woman who seemed eerily familiar. He couldn’t place her though…..no.

“Henry! It’s so nice to see you again!” she crooed. Henry took a step back, terrified. However, he was instantly frozen. 

“Ah ah ah. It’s been years since I’ve gotten to see my family. I can’t have you simply running away,” she told him, her voice sickeningly sweet. 

“What do you want with me? Where have you been?” Henry spat, staring at her. Her hair was in knots, her clothes very bland and heavy. Her feet were bare. It was a far cry from the splendor he’d always seen her in.

“It seems Mal wanted to save me for some special occasion. I’ve been locked up in a mental asylum this entire time. Imagine my surprise when I discovered I could use magic again. I busted out easily. Left that whimpering brat Anna behind. Serves her right,” the woman spat. 

“Let me go!” Henry shouted before she silenced his cries.

“Now, is that any way to talk to your grandmother?” 

With a whirl of purple smoke, Henry disappeared with Cora.

 

Belle:

It was later when the first tragedy struck. She’d assumed it would take a bit longer before things went to hell in a hand basket. But it hadn’t.

Her and Lacey were sitting down to eat supper when someone barged in Rumplestiltskin’s house.

“Where’s Henry?” Regina cried, eyes searching the place.

“We haven’t seen Henry. How long’s he been missing?” Belle asked, standing up. She placed her plate in the fridge, knowing it’d be a while before she got a chance to eat.

“A few hours ago. He was supposed to be home by two, but he’s always a little late. But never this late. I have a really bad feeling,” Regina said worriedly. 

“Maybe he went with Rumplestiltskin. He could have felt left out and snuck away. I’ll call him,” Belle told Regina in a soothing voice. 

“He’s not. They woulda found him by now. They’re at the airport already, probably flying right now. I’ll help you track him,” Lacey said, standing up.

“Do you know how to track someone?” Belle asked her daughter, eyebrow lifting. Lacey shrugged.

“It can’t be too hard. He has magic, I have magic. I’ll just search for his magic,” Lacey said, as if her words were common sense.

“I have magic too, but I couldn’t find him,” Regina finally said. Lacey smiled up at her and shook her head.

“You do have magic as well, but Henry and I have the same kind of magic. If you don’t think we can, let’s get Ruby too. She was a werewolf, right?” Lacey asked. Both Belle and Regina nodded as Lacey placed her own plate in the fridge and scampered out the door. 

When they got to the diner, they were able to coerce Granny into letting Ruby come with them although the diner was packed. Ruby was able to sniff Henry down to an alleyway near Regina’s home, but said the trail went blank there.

Lacey, however, wasn’t finished.

“He was here, but magic took him away,” Lacey said. She turned in a slow circle, eyeing the place.

“Magic took him?” Regina asked, confused. Lacey closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She stretched her fingers out, as if to feel the air. She nodded.

“Yes. Dark Magic. Really, really dark magic. Worse that Papa’s dark magic, but not more powerful,” Lacey said before opening her eyes. 

Belle’s eyes widened as she turned to Regina.

Who had the same conclusion.

“There’s only two people I know of who have magic worse than the Dark One,” Regina said. Belle nodded.

“Mal is one, but she’s dead,” Belle stated. This only made Regina’s face pale.

“Mother’s alive. And in Storybrooke,” Regina said grimly.

All hell was about to break loose.

 

Emma:

 

Manhattan was just like she remembered it. It had been years since she’d been there, and she didn’t really want to think about. 

But she would have to.

“Is everything alright?” Jefferson asked her quietly. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She’d always loved visiting Rumplestiltskin’s castle as a kid because she’d loved how Jefferson always treated her. He always seemed to get her. 

“Yeah,” she said. Because even though she knew Jefferson would understand, she didn’t know how Rumplestiltskin would take it. 

Or how Ali would take it.

They in the area that Rumplestiltskin had narrowed it down to. And unless he’d moved, she knew exactly where he lived.

“Emma, you know these places. Where is he?” Rumplestiltskin asked her. Of course, she knew exactly where he was. She just needed to know how much she could get away with telling. 

“That building right there. Let’s try it,” Emma said. They approached the building, everyone cautious. 

They entered the main area and Emma glanced at the list of tenants. He was still there. His apartment was empty. Just as it had been when she’d just gotten out of prison and searched for him. 

She pushed on a few of the other buttons, not his. She knew better. He’d run, last time she’d tried finding him. 

The door opened and she held it open. Rumplestiltskin didn’t notice her surety, but Jefferson did. He glanced at Ali for a moment, examining her. After a moment, his eyes widened minutely.

He knew. 

She led them right to the door and knocked.

“This is where he lives,” Emma said quietly. After a few seconds of no answer, Emma kicked the door open. 

Just in time to see Neal halfway out the window.

“STOP! We know where Rose is!” Emma shouted instantly. 

This got a reaction. Neal froze, not moving. His eyes scanned the room. Taking in Emma. And Jefferson. And Rumplestiltskin.

And Ali.

Ali, who looked like a mini clone of him and Emma. 

“Where is she?” Neal asked, climbing back in the window. He still looked ready to sprint. 

“In a hospital. We were in a car accident,” Jefferson said. Neal turned to him. 

“We?” Neal asked. 

“Me, Alice, and two other guys, and Rose,” Jefferson said. Neal looked livid.

“Alice?! Fucking Alice?!” Neal shouted, furious. His shouting made Ali cry. She didn’t like sudden noises. Her crying drew all of Neal’s attention to her. 

“Is she yours?” Neal asked. Ali stopped crying and looked at him. Their eyes were the exact same color. 

“How old are you?” Neal asked Ali. 

“Neal, we’re not here…” Emma started, but was cut off.

“How old is she?” Neal shouted.

“Wait – Neal? You two….no…” Rumplestiltskin said, realization striking him.

“I’m four!” Ali interrupted. Neal took half of a step backwards, staring at her. 

“Is she mine?” Neal asked. He sounded shaken. 

“Yes,” Emma said slowly. 

“What’s going on?” Rumplestiltskin asked, eyeing the two of them. Neal turned to him and glared.

“What are you doing here?” he spat. 

“I’m here to find you,” Rumplestiltskin said, sounding rather taken aback. Neal shook his head.

“No. I don’t need to be found,” Neal said viciously. 

“Look, we really need to sit down and talk. Quickly. So we can go get Rose,” Emma said. It was like she said the magic words. 

“Fine. For Rose,” Neal said, sitting down on the couch. Everyone sat down, waiting to see who would talk first. 

“Where is Rose? Did Alice kidnap her?” Neal asked Jefferson. Jefferson shook his head.

“No. She came with Alice and the Knave to Wonderland, where I found them,” Jefferson said.

“Rose was in Wonderland?” Rumplestiltskin asked, wide-eyed. Jefferson nodded.

“We found Alice’s love, Cyrus, and the five of us managed to escape here. We ended up in a place Rose called Illinoise or something. We had Lancelot come rescue us and he was bringing us back to Storybrooke when the car wreck happened,” Jefferson said. Neal gripped the seat of the couch tightly. 

“She used the last of her magic to beam me near Storybrooke,” Jefferson said. 

“She has magic? Here?” Neal asked, color leaving his face.

“Yes. Her gold hair is a physical representation of it. Last time I saw her, it was all brown,” Jefferson explained.

“So we need to get to the hospital and get her out. Where did the wreck happen?” Neal asked.

“Near the border of New York, I think. That’s what Rose told me to tell everyone. But someone is hunting us,” Jefferson said. 

“Let’s go then,” Neal said, standing.

“Wait. Don’t you want to…I don’t know, talk about anything else?” Emma asked. Neal turned, staring at her.

“I didn’t want to leave you. Your friend showed up and told me to stay away from you,” Neal told her.

“Friend? I had no friends,” Emma responded, confused. 

“August Booth?” Neal responded, equally confused. Emma suddenly could only see red. She gripped Ali tight to her.

“You left me to go to jail because PINOCCHIO told you to?” Emma asked in disbelief. Neal started to say something, but Emma shook her head.

“No. You’re lucky. You’re incredibly lucky I got some money along with the car keys. If I hadn’t gotten the money, I’d have had to give Ali up for adoption. I came to find you, you know,” Emma said slowly.

“You did?” Neal asked. Emma nodded.

“I followed you here, but you were with someone else. It was two years ago,” Emma said. Neal didn’t respond. 

“Now can we find Rose?” Neal asked impatiently.

“Not until I’ve had a chance to talk,” Rumplestiltskin said. This time, Neal just shook his head.

“No. I don’t want to hear anything from you,” Neal told him.

“Bae…please, just let me explain,” Rumplestiltskin begged. Neal shook his head.

“No. You want to know why? Because every night before I went to bed for the last ten years, the last thing I see is you. I see you keeping our mother from us. I spent the last ten years trying to raise my sisters, because you took our mother from us,” Neal accused. 

“I was trying to save you all! The Blue Fairy didn’t give you that bean! Maleficent did! She was trying to separate us all,” Rumplestiltskin said. Neal shook his head.

“It doesn’t change the fact that my sisters grew up without a mother. Because of you,” Neal spat. 

“Do you know what happened to Lacey?” Rumplestiltskin asked. This made Neal stiffen. 

“What did you do to her?” Neal asked, his voice low. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

“I didn’t do anything. She ended up in Storybrooke, where I was. Maleficent adopted her. And when Emma came to town, she found your mother. She found your mother and worked to bring us together. And she is currently happy, in Storybrooke, with your mother,” Rumplestiltskin said. 

Neal was watching him, just waiting for him to add a but in there. But he didn’t.

“Fine. Let’s go get Rose. We can figure out what’s next from there,” Neal said simply.

“You’re taking this rather well considering that we’ve just thrown a child at you, your father, your mother’s location, and the fact that your one sister is in the hospital and other sister with your mother,” Emma observed, staring at him. Neal shook his head.

“My sister, as you pointed out, is in a hospital somewhere, alone. I don’t have time to process things. Plus I figured something big was coming. August all but hinted it to me when he broke in to steal the book so he could send it to Henry,” Neal said.

“Have you seen August since then? Because he was supposed to come back to Storybrooke, and he just…didn’t,” Emma said. 

“He said he had one more stop. I figured he would have been there by now,” Neal said.

“Unless they got him already,” Jefferson said grimly.

“Who exactly do you think is after you?” Rumplestiltskin asked, one eyebrow arched in disbelief. 

“I don’t know. Rose knew them though. It was a woman. Rose and Knave were the only ones to see her,” Jefferson said. 

“Let’s focus on finding Rose and getting her back to Storybrooke. From there we can figure out who’s after you guys,” Rumplestiltskin said. Jefferson nodded.

“Let’s go,” Neal said.

 

August:

Someone entered his room. He didn’t bother raising his eyes. He didn’t see a point. He had no idea how long he’d been in there. The only time they came in was when they wanted information, information he wouldn’t give. 

Or the time they came and injected him with something.

The door opened and Wendy came in. Her hands were on her hips.

“Your purpose is done. We were going to release you and track you, but Greg found the place on his own. And is already in place. We have no more use for you,” Wendy snarled. 

August felt something akin to horror flash through him. He tried thinking of something, of anything, that would get him out of there. His mind was blank.

He couldn’t think of a single way to escape. 

“What do you want to know?” he asked with a sigh. Wendy’s lip curled upward, but she was still frowning.

“Nothing. I could care less what you have to say. Neal? He dumped me. Me! Of all people! Because of that brat! I was so close to finding her and Alice as well, but just as I thought I had them, they disappeared again!” Wendy raved. 

August’s head was spinning. They were back here? If they’d come back, there was no way Rose had given up magic. Had she used her magic even once in Wonderland, she would have the desire to continue using it. 

He thought as hard as he could, thinking of Rose. Hoping that, somehow, she’d get some sort of feeling. 

Wendy raised a taser, pointing it at him. 

“Any last words?” Wendy asked him. 

“ROSE!” August shouted as loud as he could. He felt something almost like a spike and he felt lighter than air.

Seconds later, his eyes opened. In a hospital. Rose was sitting on a bed, clutching her forehead tightly as a man he didn’t know had his arms around her shoulders. 

Her eyes met his.

“What happened to you?” she asked softly.

“They captured me. Thank you. They were about to kill me,” August said.

“Clean yourself up. Quickly. I’ll make you some clothes appear in the bathroom too. You’re going to go downstairs and check us out of the hospital as Neal,” Rose told him. August frowned but nodded. Sure enough, in the bathroom were the clothes she promised. Along with Neal’s I.D. 

He tugged them on and washed his face, ran a hand through his hair, and hoped he looked presentable. When he exited, Rose was glaring at the man who had been touching her before. 

“I will use whatever magic it takes to get me home,” Rose spat at him. When they noticed him, they stopped talking. August glanced around, noticing that there was another girl and guy in the room as well.

“Go down to the front desk and tell them you’re here to check us out. Show them the I.D. They’ll let you,” Rose promised. August uneasily left the room and took the elevator to the ground floor. He approached the receptionist desk.

“May I help you?” the teenager working asked him as she blew a bubble with her gum.

“My name’s Neal Cassidy. I’m here to check Rose Gold and her friends out. I’m her older brother,” August lied effortlessly. The teenager nodded and pulled out a binder, not even bothering to look at his I.D.

“Sign there. They’re free to go. We weren’t allowed to release them until an adult came due to the girl being underage and the other three having no forms of identification saying they were related to her,” the teen said. 

August made it back to the room. Rose nodded at him and the four of them followed him back down and out of the hospital.

“Do you have any plans to get to Storybrooke?” Jefferson asked. Rose shook her head.

“Lancelot was taking us, but…” she drifted off, glancing at the ground. The others looked uncomfortable as well.

“But?” August prodded.

“He died in the accident,” Rose whispered. August’s eyes widened. He nodded slowly.

“I see. Let’s get a car and head there,” August suggested. 

“No place would let us have a car,” Rose stated.

“What, do you suggest we steal one?” August suggested sarcastically.

The look on her face was not a reassuring one. 

“Rose, we can’t afford to be caught by the law. We’ll all go to jail,” August stated. Rose shook her head.

“I can tell you when a cop is coming. I can sense it,” Rose stated. August stared at her, noticing that her brown hair looked even darker than it had when he’d first arrived.

“Rose, what happened to your gold hair?” he asked uneasily.

“It faded,” Rose said simply.

“No. What happened was it disappeared when she used up all of her good magic in this world. She’s been using dark magic since then, because her dark magic is the only magic she has strong enough to go against this world,” the man Rose was particularly close to corrected her. Rose shot him a dirty glare.

“August, don’t you dare tell me I shouldn’t use dark magic,” Rose threatened. August threw both hands up.

“I wasn’t going to say anything. But you can tell your father and brother when we see them. I want nothing to do with that fight,” August said. 

“What car do you plan on stealing, delinquent?” the other girl asked Rose. Rose pointed at an old car that was parked across the street from them. It looked like it’d been sitting there awhile.

“The owner was killed on his way to get ice cream. No family. It’s been there awhile. Keys are behind the front tire where he dropped them,” Rose said simply.

“And you could tell that all by looking at the car?” the second boy asked. Rose shrugged.

“I told you. I can sense these things,” she told him. 

August sighed and approached the car. Sure enough, behind the tire was the keys she spoke of.

“If I’m driving us to Storybrooke, the first thing we’re doing is going through a drive thru.”


	34. Chapter 34

Bae/Neal:

They had been driving for a few hours. He couldn’t help but shoot looks at Ali every so often. She looked like him. Like him and her. And he hadn’t even known she’d existed.

Did that make him any better than his father? His own child had been raised thus far without a father. Because of him. And what he had done. He shouldn’t have abandoned her. He should have been there for her. And for Ali.

“Are we getting close?” his father asked anxiously. Jefferson glanced around before nodding. His eyes went wide.

“Real close. That’s where the accident happened,” he said, pointing at a gnarled railing along the interstate. It was in the opposite lane, but they could still see the destruction. Bae shuddered at the thought of Rose being in an accident and unconsciously sped up a bit. 

“There’s a hospital at this exit,” Bae murmured as he saw the signs. He pulled off quickly, finding the hospital to be right next to the interstate. They parked and everyone bailed out quickly. 

Bae led them to the front desk, where a teenager was chewing bubble gum loudly. She had a People Magazine in her hands and was thoroughly engrossed in it. 

“I’m looking for someone. My sister. Rose Cassidy? Or Rose Gold?” Neal asked. The magazine fell from the girl’s hands and she looked up suddenly. 

“Is this some sort of prank?” she asked, eyes narrowing.

“No. I was informed my sister was here after a car accident,” Bae said coldly. 

“Rose Gold was checked out this morning. By a man claiming to be her brother,” the girl asked, her eyes widening. 

“What did he look like?” Emma asked, pushing herself forward. The girl got on the computer instantly, clicking and typing things. A few minutes later, she turned the screen around to reveal what looked like a security camera shot.

Of August Booth. 

“August was here?” Emma asked in disbelief.

“He had an I.D.,” the girl asked. Bae cursed under his breath.

“Thank you,” he said, turning abruptly.

“Rose must’ve conjured up a fake I.D. to get them out of here,” Jefferson said as they exited.

“But where did August come from? Where has he been?” Emma questioned.

“I don’t know. This is getting complicated,” Rumplestiltskin said with a frown.

“But we know where they’re going,” Jefferson pointed out. When everyone turned to him, he shrugged, looking Rumplestiltskin dead in the eye.

“They’re going to Storybrooke. To find you.” 

 

Belle:

Her and Lacey were searching near the town line when they saw the car.

It was moving slowly and pulled off the side of the road. Someone hopped out of the car to examine the sign. 

“ROSE!” Lacey cried, ecstatic. She took off running.

Belle followed cautiously, eyes wide. Rose? It was hard for her to see Rose and not see a four year old. She hadn’t seen Rose since she was four. The girl Lacey yelled at spun around and a large grin covered her face. She took off running as well, meeting Lacey and hugging her tightly. The car she was in moved across the town line and the people inside piled out. She only recognized August from the group.

Belle found herself running forward as well. She got to them when she heard a voice she wished she hadn’t.

“Well, well, well. Look who finally got back. I’ve heard a lot about you since I escaped.”

Belle spun around, stepping in front of her children. Cora stood there, Henry trapped in her arms.

“Let him go,” Belle said calmly. Cora laughed at her, but the laugh went right through Belle. She felt her children moving closer to her from behind, and there was the sound of a car door shutting. 

“Why? He’s the key to getting my daughter’s love again,” Cora told Belle. 

“Henry?” Belle heard from behind her. Rose. Henry’s eyes widened and Cora’s eyes narrowed.

The next few seconds were a blur. Rose appeared in front of Henry and the vines disappeared. Then Henry disappeared, appearing right in front of Belle. Belle grabbed Henry and shoved him behind her, eyes still on the scene.

Cora lunged at Rose, who ducked and kicked her outstretched hands. A small pouch flew from Cora’s hands. A pouch that was full of something highly valuable, judging from the look on Cora’s face. 

“No!” Lacey cried, dashing around Belle and towards Rose. Rose’s own eyes were wide as the pouch hit the ground under her feet and a portal flew open. 

Rose didn’t even have a chance to blink as she was sucked into the swirling vortex. Belle’s eyes widened.

“Not again!” she cried as Lacey fell alongside her sister. Belle dove forward, feeling someone else moving next to her as she flew through the portal. 

 

When she regained consciousness, she realized she was the first one to do so. She sat up, eyes darting around. Lacey was on top of Rose and there was a man she didn’t know laying next to her. They were in a wooded area, but Belle knew instantly that it wasn’t in Storybrooke.

They were in the Enchanted Forest.

Despite everything, she was separated from part of her family once more. 

 

Regina:

Everyone had arrived back at the hospital but Belle and Lacey. Each search party had come back with nothing. Her mother was out there, and had her son. The whole thought terrified her beyond belief.

She was filled with nothing but relief the moment she heard Henry scream Mom and run into her arms. Her eyes filled with tears and she looked up to see strangers. And August Booth.

“What happened?” Regina asked. Henry pulled back, eyes wide.

“Belle and Lacey and Rose and another guy fell through a portal! Cora had a bean and it fell. We have to save them!” Henry said. Regina’s eyes widened and they met with Charming and Mary Margaret.

“It took everything we had to get here. I have no idea how we could possibly get back,” Mary Margaret said quietly.

“What are we going to tell Rumplestiltskin when he returns?” Charming asked quietly.

“What do you have to tell me?”

The voice came from the entrance. Everyone moved so they could see Rumplestiltskin, Emma, Ali, and a strange man. 

“Belle, Lacey, and Rose fell through a portal,” Henry said, eyes wide. 

“No!” the stranger shouted, furious. 

“Neal, calm down,” Emma told the man, but he shook his head.

“No. She just returned from Wonderland. Where did the bean take her?” ‘Neal’ asked Henry.

“I think it took them to the Enchanted Forest. What are you doing here, Bae?” Henry asked. 

“Bae?” Regina asked, shocked. She got no answer. 

“Look, we need to find her. Soon. She can’t be allowed to stay in a place with magic for too long,” another stranger said.

“My name’s Alice. This is Cyrus. Rose and I rescued Cyrus from Wonderland along with our friend, Knave. Knave is with them,” the strange girl introduced. The man, Cyrus, didn’t pause.

“Look, I’ve seen corruption happen. The more Rose is around magic, the harder it is for her to resist the pull of dark magic. It’s corrupting her,” Cyrus said.

Everyone’s eyes indivertibly turned to Rumplestiltskin. 

Dr. Whale exited a room, a grim look on his face. Everyone’s attention turned to him. His attention, however, turned to the strangers.

“Are you Greg’s family?” Dr. Whale asked. The stranger’s shook their heads, confused.

“They’re from our world. Or…worlds like ours,” Regina told him.

“I’m Alice. I’m from this world, but I spent a lot of time in Wonderland. Cyrus is a genie, from Wonderland. And this is Jefferson. He’s from your world,” Alice introduced them. Dr. Whale looked at Bae, who shrugged.

“I’m Belle’s son,” he said. Rumplestiltskin winced at his words but said nothing to defend himself. 

“Well, Greg will live. So will Hook. Hook has a few fractured ribs. Greg….it would have been easier to let him die, but I did as you ask. What are we going to tell him when he wakes up?” Dr. Whale asked anxiously.

“Who’s Greg? And what happened to Hook?” Emma asked anxiously. 

“Hook was hit by a car. Greg was driving. Greg’s a stranger,” Mary Margaret explained grimly. 

“Why must everything be so messed up at the same time?” Emma muttered, frustrated.

“Why? What’s happening?” Dr. Whale asked. 

“Belle, Rose, Lacey, and a man from Wonderland were sent through a portal to our world. By Cora. Who’s still loose,” Regina said grimly.

“Why do I sense this is the worst possible time to have an outsider here?” Dr. Whale asked. 

“Wait. You said his name was Greg?” Bae asked suddenly, eyes wide. Everyone turned to him.

“You know him?” Dr. Whale asked. Bae nodded slowly.

“I think so. A man named Greg and a woman named Tamara found me and the kids when we were younger, when we first crossed over. I had a bad feeling about them then, and Rose did too,” Bae admitted.

“This is great. What are we going to do?” Regina murmured, frustrated.

“We need a team of people to go to the Enchanted Forest and bring Belle and the children back. We need a team of people to work on finding and stopping Cora. And we need a team of people working on getting Greg out of Storybrooke,” Mary Margaret said.

“And how should we divide it, dearie? We need people with magic on two of the three teams, and people with amazing people skills on Greg,” Rumplestiltskin pointed out.

“You and me have the most dark magic. You can work on getting your wife back, and I’ll work on my mother,” Regina suggested. She knew Rumplestiltskin was dying to be reunited with his wife. And although she wished she never had to see her mother again, she knew it wasn’t fair to leave him to deal with her. 

“Emma and Henry have magic as well. Do we want one to go and one to stay?” Jefferson suggested. 

“Yes. We need to. But who will go where?” Mary Margaret mused, staring at her daughter, forlorn. 

“It may be more dangerous in the Enchanted Forest now. We don’t know what’s happened in the time we’ve been away,” Rumplestiltskin pointed out.

“But I’m pretty sure my mother is more dangerous than anything we could find there,” Regina pointed out. 

“I’ll go with them. I don’t like Cora,” Henry said as he shuddered. Regina looked apprehensive but nodded.

“You’d be safer with them,” she stated. 

“But how are we going to get there?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Everyone was silent for a moment.

“My hat. What happened to my hat?” Jefferson asked, eyes wide.

“You haven’t had a hat,” Alice pointed out, frustrated at his answer.

“No. That’s good. Most things crossed over. I’ve never come across it though,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“Nor have I. But I can guess one person who did,” Regina said darkly.

“Mal,” they said together. 

“I’ll go through her stuff. As Sheriff of the town, I have the right. I’m looking for that top hat you used to wear?” Emma asked. Jefferson shook his head.

“Dear heavens no. This hat is…special. Magical. It’s a portal. It can take people between worlds. It should be in a hat box. But it does look like the hat I used to wear,” Jefferson said. Emma nodded and took off out the door, in a hurry to find the hat.

“We still have a problem. The same number of people who go through the hat must come back,” Rumplestiltskin pointed out.

“I might have a solution to that,” Cyrus said slowly. He pulled a lamp from his jacket.

“I’m a genie. I can go in my lamp. And Alice once crawled in my lamp. So if we were to shrink some people, they could be transported in the lamp alongside me. Does that count?” he asked Jefferson anxiously. Jefferson stared at him, thinking.

“I’m not sure. And we can’t really risk trying something if we aren’t positive,” Jefferson said, biting his lip as he thought about it.

“No. We are not going to separate anyone else until we have proof that it will work,’ Mary Margaret says. 

“What if we didn’t separate?” Jefferson said slowly.

“What do you mean?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

“We have no way of knowing for sure if it will work. But the Enchanted Forest still exists, right? It’s still habitable?” Jefferson asks. Rumplestiltskin hesitates for a moment.

“Without people there, the ogres have surely overrun the place. But with some magic, it won’t be hard to get rid of them once more. So yes. With work, it is,” he said. 

“Why don’t we separate permanently? What is there left in this town? Give the people a choice. They can either come with us back to the Enchanted Forest and reclaim their lives, or they can continue living here as they’ve done,” Jefferson suggested.

“It is a good idea. But we still have to defeat Cora before we can do any of that. We can’t leave some people here with Cora on the loose,” Mary Margaret said.

“Okay. Then let’s find a way to get rid of her,” Rumplestiltskin said sharply. 

 

Belle:

When she came to, she realized something was horribly wrong.

They weren’t in Storybrooke anymore.

Belle jumped to her feet, eyes scanning the area. A few feet from her, Rose and Lacey were unconscious. Rose was already waking up. When she saw Belle, her eyes widened.

“Mom?” she asked, almost hesitantly. Belle nodded and Rose lunged at her, tackling her back to the ground in a hug.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Rose cried. Belle couldn’t keep her own tears from her face.

“So have I, darling. So have I,” she murmured. Lacey was stirring as well, and when she was awake, she stumbled over to them.

“So you’re my older sister?” Lacey asked her. Rose pulled away from Belle, staring at Lacey.

“I am. You’ve gotten big,” Rose said, smiling. Lacey smiled right back at her.

Then frowned as she noticed their surroundings.

“Where are we?” Lacey asked.

“The Enchanted Forest. The place you were born,” Belle told her daughter, placing a hand on Lacey’s shoulder. 

They were back where it all began, and she still was missing part of her family. Now, it was her husband and son. 

They would get back.

An arrow flew through the air, hitting the tree next to them. Belle’s eyes landed on it and she couldn’t help but smile.

She knew that arrow.

Rose didn’t though. Nor did Lacey. And a moment later, three trees were uprooted and flung out of the way of Rose’s hand. Directly in front of them, standing in between the gaping holes where the trees had been, stood Mulan, Aurora, and Philip. 

“Rose! They’re friends,” Belle reprimanded her daughter lightly, smiling off at the group.

“Who are they?” Lacey asked, eyes wide. By that point, the others had recognized Belle and were running forward.

They reached them before Belle could respond and were staring at them in shock.

“Lacey, Rose, this is King Philip, Queen Aurora, and Mulan,” Belle introduced. Lacey’s eyes were wide.

“No way. Mulan was always my favorite movie!” Lacey cried. 

“Movie?” Mulan asked, scrunching up her nose. Belle shook her head. She didn’t have the time to try explaining their world to Mulan. 

“We need your help. Our family was separated. Again,” Belle said softly. The three of them stared at Belle in disbelief.

“It’s almost like the universe is trying to keep you guys apart,” Philip said with a whistle.

“I hope not. We don’t plan on giving up,” Belle swore. 

“That was some power you showed there,” Philip said to Rose. She merely shrugged.

“Flick of a finger,” she said. 

The way she said it worried Belle more than anything. She’d seen what dark magic had done to Rumplestiltskin. 

She did not want to see what it could do to her daughter.


	35. Chapter 35

Greg:

He woke up to the sound of his own heart monitor. He could hear murmuring outside and couldn’t help but smile.

He was in. 

He slowly reached for his cell phone, which was lying on the nightstand next to his bed. It hurt to reach for it, but he managed. He flipped the phone open and dialed her number.

“Hello?” Tamara asked anxiously.

“Hey. I’m in,” he said quietly.

“Good. I was sent in early because we hadn’t heard from you yet. I should be there soon. How bad are you?” she asked.

“Bad. But I’ll be fine. I won’t slow us down too badly,” he promised before hanging up, a grim smile on his lips.

Their plan was falling into place perfectly.

Bae:

They were still trying to figure out the details when Regina froze. Her eyes were glued on the window. Everyone turned to see what had captured her attention. 

A car had entered Storybrooke. From there, they couldn’t see who it was. But, judging from everyone’s paling faces, this wasn’t a good sign.

“Strangers are arriving in Storybrooke. We need to do something to get rid of this problem, or get rid of magic altogether before we separate,” Rumplestiltskin stated.

“What? You don’t think the world will welcome a town of magical fairytale creatures?” Bae asked sarcastically. No one responded. 

The car stopped and parked.

“Maybe it’s someone here for the stranger?” Mary Margaret suggested. 

They watched as Alice and Jefferson went to cross the street with Emma. They’d left earlier to help Emma find the hat, and it looked like they were finally returning. 

In a flash, the car door open and a woman flew out, gun in hand. Gun, trained on Alice. 

“Get out there!” Charming shouted, and before they could blink they had all appeared on the street behind the woman. A woman who seemed familiar.

“Tamara?” Bae asked, confused. The woman jumped slightly.

“Neal,” she said calmly. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked slowly. Alice was frozen in her spot, but she obviously recognized Tamara.

How?

“This woman is a dangerous criminal. She broke out a New York City psych ward awhile ago. I was sent to capture and return her,” Tamara said calmly. 

“You will be doing nothing of the sort, dearie,” Rumplestiltskin said darkly, waving his hand as the gun vanished. 

That was smart. Let’s just show any stranger our magic. 

“How did you do that?” she asked, turning to face him.

“Magic, dearie. Now tell me, how do you know my son, and what are you really doing here?” he asked. She said nothing.

“She’s the one that found us in the woods when we were lost. As children. So the Greg here is the same Greg then, isn’t it? This isn’t a coincidence,” Bae said, staring at her. She smiled.

“No, Neal. It isn’t,” she said.

At that moment, a gun went off. Everyone spun, only to find no one there. And when they turned again, Tamara was gone. 

“This isn’t good,” Mary Margaret said.

“No. It’s not. Now we have not only Cora to worry about, but those two,” Charming said.

“They were burning the woods I arrived in,” Bae said slowly. 

“What?” Emma asked, staring at him.

“They said the woods were contaminated. And despite how she acted, she looked like she’d seen magic before. What if she is here to destroy the town too?” Bae asked. 

“I don’t like it,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“But it’s probably the truth. After all, nothing else seems to be working for us. Why would this be working out in our advantage?” Regina asked bitingly. 

 

Cora:

She frowned as she saw the two buffoons stumbling through the woods.

“Where are we going?” the man asked the woman.

“Headquarters said there was an area around here. If we blow it up, it’ll destroy the entire town and everyone in it,” the woman said. 

Cora frowned.

No. She couldn’t have that happening. That would ruin all of her plans. She magicked herself in front of them. The two stopped suddenly. The woman whipped out a tiny box.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” she asked Cora. The box was probably some sort of weapon in this world. Cora waved her hand and it vanished. The woman’s eyes widened.

“I can’t have you getting in the way of my plans,” Cora said. She plunged her hand into the woman’s chest and pulled out her heart. She’d barely had her hand out when she squeezed. The woman’s eyes went wide and she barely had a chance to gasp before she was on the ground, dead.

The man turned to run, but Cora grabbed his heart through his back.

“So pathetic, the people of this world,” she said with a sigh before squeezing his heart as well. 

She left their bodies lying where they fell. It was irrelevant if the others found their bodies. 

All that mattered was that there would be little to no interference with her plans.

 

Rose:

She liked them. Mulan, Aurora, and Philip. She liked them a lot. They had made it back to the castle where Aurora and Philip lived. Belle was talking quietly with them, trying to come up with a solution to get them back.

“I can help, you know!” Lacey piped up, frustrated that they weren’t including her. Rose could care less. She could hear every word they were saying, after all. Her magic was strong here, just as it had been in Wonderland.

The feeling was exhilarating.

“How did you get Emma and August over?” Rose asked, interrupting their conversation. Belle stopped in her tracks.

“We sent them through a magical wardrobe. But it only had the power to bring two,” Belle said.

“But I’m sure it still has magical properties,” Rose pointed out. 

“She’s right. Some things never lose their magic,” Mulan pointed out.

“But that wouldn’t be enough,” Belle pointed out.

“There is a place. A lake that can restore things that have been lost. I tried going there after I was first cursed, but it was dried up,” Philip said slowly.

“How does that help if it’s dried up?” Aurora asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It does. Just because it’d dried up doesn’t mean there isn’t water elsewhere in the lake. Like underground,” Rose pointed out.

“So say we are able to do that. Then what? There are so many worlds. How can we be sure we’ll land in the right one?” Mulan asked.

“We?” Belle asked wryly, glancing at Mulan. 

“This world is overrun. I wish to return with you when you leave,” Mulan said.

“As do we. There is nothing else we can do here,” Philip said, placing his hand on Aurora’s shoulder. 

“We need something to guide us to our world,” Lacey said, looking triumphant that she’d gotten a word in.

“Like a compass!” Aurora said excitedly.

“A magical compass, I hope,” Belle said. Aurora nodded.

“I used to hear stories when I was younger of a magical compass. It was in possession of the last giant. The beanstalk leading to his world is in our kingdom,” Aurora said. 

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Rose said impatiently.

“Should we get the compass or the wardrobe first?” Belle asked, placing a hand on her oldest daughter’s shoulder. Rose sighed.

“I’ll get your wardrobe,” she said and, with a blink, had disappeared.

“Where did she go?” Lacey asked uneasily.

“She has no idea where that wardrobe is,” Belle said, slightly irritated. 

“Her power is…ridiculous,” Philip finally said.

“I know. Lacey, do you think you could transport us to where your sister is?” Belle asked her other daughter. Lacey’s nose scrunched up as she thought about it.

“I don’t think so. I don’t know how. And Jefferson said she was using bad magic, didn’t he?” Lacey asked.

“Wait- Rose is using her dark magic?” Aurora asked sharply. Belle nodded.

“It appears that, while she was in Wonderland, she got in touch with her dark side and prefers the power it gives her,” Belle said tentatively.

Before she could say anything else, Rose appeared next to her. Holding a bottle of ashes.

“Rose. What’s that?” Belle asked sharply.

“The ashes of the wardrobe. It was easier to torch it and bring the ashes. It’ll work all the same, I’m sure,” Rose said with a shrug.

“Look, we need to talk. We can’t have you flickering all over the place. We stay together. All of us,” Belle told her daughter, her tone sounding slightly reprimanding. Rose scoffed at her but said nothing aloud. 

“And please. Rose. For your sake, refrain from using dark magic. You have equal amounts of good magic in you. Focus on that instead. Please. For all of our sakes,” Belle amended at the end when she noticed her daughter didn’t really care what she was saying.

It broke Belle’s heart to see her daughter like that. Why hadn’t she been there for her daughter over the years? Was this all her fault. 

“Right. Can we get the compass? I have a feeling Dad’s gonna try to do something stupid and get himself stranded over here too,” Rose said.

“Don’t talk about your father like that. He’d be trying to help,” Belle told her again. A hand fell on her shoulder. Mulan.

“Rose, why don’t you take Lacey, Philip and Aurora ahead? Belle and I need to talk for a few minutes,” Mulan suggested. Rose nodded and, after an inquisitive look shot their way by Aurora, the rest of the group moved forward alone.

“What?” Belle asked Mulan, trying to hide her anxiousness.

“Calm down. Don’t worry,” Mulan told Belle gently. 

“Don’t worry? How can I not worry?” Belle asked her incredulously.

“Because everything will be fine. Rose hasn’t had a mother for years. She’s not used to it. You’re going to overdo it and scare her away. Trust me. It’s what my own mother did to me,” Mulan said. Belle swallowed a lump that formed in her throat.

“It was?” Belle asked. Mulan nodded.

“My mother was missing for a good portion of my life. When she returned, she thought she could resume all the roles in my life she should have had from the beginning. But it irritated me to no ends. It was around that time my father was enlisted for the army. She was my final straw in pushing me to run away and join the army,” Mulan told her. Belle stared at her friend, shocked.

“I never knew,” Belle murmured. Mulan nodded.

“Few do. She ended up dying while I was in the army of a sickness. Don’t let my history repeat itself in your life,” Mulan told her solemnly.

“How? What should I do?” Belle asked desperately.

“Give her space. You may see what she is doing is wrong. I can see it too. But she needs to see it with her own eyes. Or she’ll never overcome the evil inside of her,” Mulan warned her. Belle nodded. And hesitated.

“Can I ask you about something?” Belle asked. Mulan nodded, starting to walk as she did.

“What?” she asked. Belle walked alongside her, trying to muster up the right words.

“Before Maleficent died, she told me that I killed her fiancé. I used some sort of magic and killed him because I was scared. But I was told I only have good magic inside of me, and that good magic cannot take an innocent life,” Belle told her. Mulan stopped walking.

“Are you sure you killed him? It could have been outside magic working to frame you,” Mulan said.

“I don’t know. I didn’t even remember it. But now, it’s like I can see flashes of it. And the horrible thing is, I think it’s true,” Belle said softly. 

“I don’t know. I don’t think it was you, if that makes you feel better. It sounds like something more sinister took place,” Mulan said.

“But what? What if I have dark magic in me too?” Belle asked. 

“I don’t believe you do. Right now we need to focus on getting you guys back. All of us back. Before that impatient husband of yours gets it in his mind to come get you,” Mulan said with a teasing nudge.

 

Rose:

 

They had been walking for maybe ten minutes and her mom and Mulan had yet to catch up with them. It irritated Rose. She knew they were talking about her. But why? What had she done wrong? She’d done NOTHING wrong!

Had she?

Rose shook her head, tilting her head towards Lacey who had yet to stop talking since they’d started walking. She’d missed her younger sister, sure, but this was a little extreme. Lacey was a little chatterbox. Rose wasn’t used to that.

In all honesty, she wasn’t used to being an older sister. It was…odd. Like she had to be mature and be responsible for her sister. Because her sister would be depending on her. Looking up to her. Watching her.

Ugh. She hated the thought of that. She hated the thought of someone depending on her. What if she failed? What if she did something and Lacey mimicked it and got hurt?

Was that how Bae felt, all these years. The thought nearly made Rose stop in her tracks. Had her brother dealt with all of this? Surely he had. Only he had been supporting her too. And raising her.

She’d been far too cruel to him over the years. The first thing she planned on doing when they returned was apologizing to him for her ridiculous attitude over the years. 

She was so caught up in her thoughts that it wasn’t until she heard the unnatural silence that she realized something was wrong. She froze in her tracks. Lacey had stopped talking the moment Rose stopped walking.

“What’s wrong?” Lacey asked quietly. Philip had already drawn his sword and Aurora had moved closer to them. 

An ogre burst from the woods, releasing a bloodcurling scream. Rose winced and Lacey screamed as well. 

“Run!” Philip shouted. Rose’s eyes were wide in horror. But she couldn’t run. She could stop it. She knew she could. She planted her feet firmly on the ground and focused on creating a shield around them. She watched as the magic knitted itself together mid-air, just as her mother and Mulan burst into the clearing. 

“Lacey, get back!” Rose shouted at her sister. She took a step closer to the front of the barrier, where the ogre was wasting no time at beating at it. She flinched with each hit at her shield. She pushed her hands forward, but instead of making the ogre disappear, it was only thrust backwards.

The shock of her magic not working as she’d planned on it working was enough to make Rose’s shield drop.

“ROSE!” Lacey cried as the ogre righted itself. The ogre fell once more, causing Rose’s head to whip around. Lacey had a look of unadulterated concentration on her face. Behind her, Mulan had thrust a bow into Belle’s hands. 

A bow? Her magic had done nothing! How could a bow stop the beast?

“HEY!” Belle shouted, causing the ogre’s head to shoot up in Belle’s direction just as she released the string of the bow. The arrow sailed true, going right through the ogre’s nose. He hit the ground with a solid thud.

Rose stared at her mother in shock.

“These ogres are not affected by magic. They can’t be killed by magic. They’ve evolved,” Philip said grimly. Lacey started crying and ran for Belle, hugging her tightly. Rose herself wanted to do just that.

“When was the last time you shot a bow?” Rose asked her mother in disbelief.

“Years. I guess it’s like riding a bike,” Belle said nonchalantly, offering the bow back to Mulan, who merely shook her head. Belle slid the bow over her shoulder.

“We should probably get moving. There’s got to be more,” Mulan said.


	36. Chapter 36

Belle:

With Rose’s ability to magick them certain distances at a time, it didn’t take long for them to reach the beanstalk. Although it did take them quite a deal of time to stop staring at it. It was magnificent, something Belle was sure she’d never seen before.

“Let’s go!” Rose said, grabbing the beanstalk. It zapped her, knocking her back.

“Rose! Are you okay?” Belle asked, hurrying over to her daughter to help her to her feet. Rose nodded, glaring at the beanstalk.

“So it’s enchanted. Lovely,” Rose growled. 

“Maybe it just didn’t like you. Try being nice to it,” Lacey suggested with a smile. She laid her hand on the beanstalk and nothing happened, causing her to beam at us.

“Oh great and powerful Plant-whisperer, show up your magical way,” Rose said sarcastically. Lacey frowned at her and, with one hand still on the beanstalk, closed her eyes in utter concentration. 

After a few minutes, two cuffs began to materialize on her wrists. Then Belles. And everyone else’s. Once they were tangible, Lacey’s eyes opened with a smile painted on her lips.

“That should work!” Lacey chirped.

“What are they?” Mulan asked, examining the cuffs with a look of alarm.

“I tried putting the happy feeling into them. So we can climb,” Lacey explained, as if that made perfect sense.

It really didn’t.

But it seemed to work nonetheless. 

Their group climbed slowly, Aurora slower than anyone else. Belle slowed down so she was climbing alongside the queen.

“How are you holding up?” Belle asked her.

“Just….fine,” Aurora gritted. When Belle’s eyes didn’t leave her, Aurora sighed.

“I’m a little scared of heights,” she admitted quietly. Belle nodded.

“Just don’t think about,” Belle tried. Rose laughed from above them.

“Horrible advice, Mom,” Rose said.

Although her daughter was criticizing her, something she really shouldn’t be doing, it still made Belle’s heart swell. 

Because her daughter had called her Mom.

She hadn’t failed too badly. 

Aurora noticed her smiling and smiled at her as well.

“Don’t be afraid of heights. Heights won’t kill you. It’s the fall that does that,” Rose said with a laugh.

And just like that, all happy feelings disappeared.

“Rose!” Lacey said in shock. Rose shrugged.

“It’s true,” Rose said carelessly. Lacey looked down at Aurora, who had turned whiter than a ghost.

“Don’t look down to see the heights. Look up to see your goal approaching us,” Lacey told her.

“When did you become an oracle, Little Bit?” Rose asked sarcastically. 

Lacey subsequently flipped Rose off.

“Lacey!” Belle shouted in shock, staring at her ten year old.

“Where did you learn that?” Rose asked, obviously at least a little bit impressed.

“Mom did it a lot. When she was cursed. I think she did it to Dad sometimes,” Lacey said. It was Belle’s turn to turn bright red. Mulan and Philip looked down at Belle.

“I take it that’s an obscene gesture?” Philip asked and Belle could only nod.

“Lovely parenting skills in this other world,” Aurora said with a laugh. Her color was back, but not completely normal. 

“I wasn’t a parent when I did that!” Belle protested. She didn’t have a chance to say anything else because they were at the top of the beanstalk.

Philip and Mulan got up first and helped everyone up.

“Where is this compass?” Belle asked quietly.

“With all of the treasure, I bet,” Rose said. 

Before Rose could ask where that would be, the ground started shaking.

And a giant appeared in front of them.

“Humans!” he shouted, furious. Lacey stepped forward, a wide smile on her face.

“Hi! We’re here because we need help! Do you have a golden compass we can have?” Lacey asked, her face completely open and trusting.

Mulan smacked her forehead at the gesture. 

The giant looked stunned.

“What?” he asked, staring at her.

“Lacey, that’s stupid. I’ll take care of this!” Rose said, pushing forward. Dark clouds started wrapping themselves around the giant’s feet but before it could do any real damage, the giant had picked Rose up, trapping her in his fist.

“Rose!” Belle cried and Philip charged forward, sword in hand.

Lacey jumped in between them.

“Stop!” Lacey cried. She turned back to the giant.

“Can you please put my sister down?” Lacey asked him. He stared at her long and hard before shaking his head.

“I like you, kid. But she’ll just try to hurt me again,” he pointed out. Lacey’s forehead scrunched up in thought.

“You’re right. She would. My name’s Lacey! What’s yours?” Lacey asked him. He tilted his head, as if wondering how real she was. And examining the others.

“Tiny,” he said. Lacey laughed at this, causing a sharp glare to turn her way. Belle moved close to her daughter, wrapping her arms around Lacey’s shoulders.

“Lacey. Stop,” Belle whispered, eyes locked on the giant.

“That’s a funny name! Is it really your name, or is it a nickname? Cause I’m tiny, not you!” she finally said when she caught her breath. 

To everyone’s surprise, the giant started to laugh too.

“I like you, Half Pint,” he finally said. Lacey gave him a beaming smile. Belle just stared in disbelief.

It seemed that Lacey had inherited her sister’s earlier abilities to charm anyone. 

“Do you think you could help us?” Lacey asked him once more.

“What were you looking for?” he asked her.

“A compass. A magical compass. One that can help us get home, to our world,” Lacey told him. 

“What’s your world like?” he asked instantly. Lacey smiled at him.

“You should sit down so I don’t have to shout!” Lacey said. To everyone’s surprise, the giant sat down in front of them, Rose still in his one hand. 

“It’s not a nice place. There’s a lot of bad things that happen. But our town’s nice. It’s where everyone from this world was taken,” Lacey told him.

“Would I be able to come with you?” he asked her. Lacey tilted her head, staring at him. And closed her eyes.

“Don’t be alarmed,” she said before her concentrating look appeared. Belle moved slightly closer to her daughter, only to stop.

A light blue, warm magic swirled around the giant. Shrinking him. 

He stopped shrinking and was still a bit taller than they were, but not unreasonably. Rose stumbled away from him, and he only looked…shocked.

“How did you do that?” he asked her.

“Magic ! Good magic! Now you’ll fit in! Can we find the compass now?” Lacey asked.

Tiny nodded and disappeared inside his home. A few minutes later, he returned with the compass. 

The group made it back down the beanstalk in one piece, but Rose looked sulky. 

Once they’d hit the ground and started heading towards Lake Nostos, Rose froze. 

“Someone’s following us!” she said, spinning around. Everyone turned as well. Belle had an arrow in the bow instantly, ready.

A man stumbled out of the woods, hands held up sheepishly.

“Knave?” Rose asked in disbelief. Belle lowered the arrow.

It was the man who’d fallen through the portal with them.

But where had he been this whole time? Why hadn’t he been there when they all woke up?

“Hey. I woke up and you guys were gone, so I started tracking you,” he said sheepishly. Rose stared at him for a moment before nodding.

“Fine. Let’s go,” she said, turning once more. He walked over to us and we started walking once more.

“Your name is Knave?” Belle asked the young man. Knave nodded.

“I was the Knave of Hearts in Wonderland,” he elaborated slightly. 

“How did you end up with Rose?” Belle asked, curious. 

“He was with Alice when I met her the second time. He went with us to Wonderland and then back here,” Rose said dismissively.

“There’s more to that story,” Mulan observed. To Belle’s amusement, Rose’s cheeks flushed.

“Rose…?” Belle prodded her daughter.

“Looks like love,” Philip said with a wink. Both Rose and Knave were sputtering by that point.

“No! He’s been a bastard to me the entire time!” Rose shouted, glaring at him.

“And all she’s done has been use dark magic and put us all at risk!” Knave retorted sharply. The two didn’t say anything else, just glared heatedly at each other. Belle couldn’t help but laugh, looking over at Aurora.

“Remind you of anyone?” she asked Aurora. Aurora laughed.

“Looks like you and Rumplestiltskin when you first met,” Aurora said. 

“You and Dad hated each other?” Lacey asked, wide eyed. Belle saw Philip cut down some vines from the corner of her eye. The woods were getting thicker. Much thicker than they’d ever been before.

“Yeah. He threatened to take Bae from me. And blackmailed me to marry him,” Belle said with a rueful smile.

“Did you ever love Dad?” Rose asked quietly. Belle’s footwork hesitated.

“Of course I did, Rose. You should know that. I thought you remembered the Enchanted Forest. Your father and I loved each other very much, during those few months when we were a family while I was pregnant with Lacey,” Belle reprimanded her daughter lightly.

“Why only a few months?” Lacey asked, wide-eyed.

“Well, Rose’s birth father kidnapped Belle at that point and imprisoned her and then tricked Rumplestiltskin into killing him and turning him evil. And Belle became Robin Hood, and…a lot happened,” Philip drifted off when he saw all the dirty looks that were shot at him. 

“Rose and I have different fathers?” Lacey asked, eyes wide.

“Technically. Sort of,” Belle said awkwardly.

“My father was the Dark One before Dad. And your father was Dad as the Dark One. So they’re both partially the same,” Rose told her.

“So we’re half-sisters?” Lacey asked Rose.

“If you want to label it. Bae’s our half-brother also,” Rose told her.

“How do you know about that?” Belle asked sharply. Rose shrugged.

“I just do. Bae isn’t really Mom’s son. But he is Dad’s son,” Rose told her sister.

“Wow. Our family is complicated,” Lacey observed.

“You got it,” Philip said once more with a wink and a nudge to the little girl. 

“How far away is this lake?” Rose complained after a few minutes of silence.

“It’s a ways away. Don’t worry. We’ll get there soon,” Philip promised, wincing as he hacked away at a particularly thick vine.

“Or I can just snap my fingers and we could be there,” Rose suggested.

“Have you learned nothing? All magic comes with a price. You can’t just go around using it so flamboyantly!” Knave hissed at her. Belle was glad he did, because she agreed to him. But she bit her tongue, remembering what Mulan had told her. 

“I haven’t found a price yet,” Rose pointed out.

“Your hair. And it weakened you,” Knave pointed out.

“Hair?” Belle asked. Her daughter’s hair was the same shade it had been the last time she’d seen it.

“It used to be gold. Not just in color. Pure gold. But the more she used her magic in the real world, the less golden it became. Or did you forget about that?” Knave asked her. Rose glared at him and there was a minute twitch of her eye and he was gone. 

“Rose, what did you just do?” Belle asked quietly, shocked. Rose glanced over at Tiny, Mulan, Philip, Aurora and her eye did the slight twitch. They disappeared as well.

“Getting us to the lake faster,” she said. 

And like that, Belle and Lacey appeared next to Knave.

Her head was spinning, like she’d stood up too fast. By the time she’d managed to get over the sudden vertigo, Rose was standing in front of her.

“There. Much faster. Now let’s get home before Dad does something stupid,” Rose said with a smile. 

“If he’s related to you, I’m sure he’s already done quite a few stupid things while we’ve been gone,” Knave muttered sarcastically under his breath. The glare Rose shot him said that she heard him. 

“Guys, we have a problem,” Lacey said. She was standing a little ways away from them.

“What?” Knave asked, looking glad to have a distraction from the glare that was trying to burn a hole in his forehead. 

“The lake’s gone.”

 

Those words caught everyone’s attention. All heads swiveled in her direction and everyone hurried to the small hill she was standing on. Sure enough, in front of them was a sandy pit littered with seashells and a random set of bones.

“We need a new plan,” Philip said quietly, still staring at it.

“No. A new plan will take too much time,” Rose said. She climbed down the hill and into the sandy pit, Belle hot on her trail. Near the center, Rose stopped and stared at the ground. After a moment, when nothing happened, her hands went up, as if she were trying to pull water from the ground.

She swayed slightly, only for Knave to steady her.

“You overdid it. I don’t care if there is magic here, you can’t use it as much as you are. Its price is this,” Knave pointed out. 

“Maybe I can do it,” Lacey suggested, tugging nervously on her golden hair.

“No. You don’t need to start using dark magic,” Aurora said before Belle could even protest. 

But Lacey shook her head.

“I don’t have to,” she told them. She moved to where Rose was, standing next to her sister. She tucked her hair behind her ears before her hands fell into the position that Rose’s had been in. 

After a few seconds, the ground started glowing a light blue color. And the sand vanished, leaving a large swirling pool of water. 

“There. No dark magic. Just good magic. Where’s the ashes and the compass?” Lacey asked, a serene smile on her face. Rose handed the ashes and the compass, almost reluctantly. Lacey took it.

“Okay. Everyone hold hands,” she instructed before dropping the vial into the water. Belle’s hand locked with Knave’s and Mulan’s and everyone linked together, standing around the pool.

“Okay. Jump!” Lacey shouted, her one free hand holding the compass.

And the eight of them jumped.

 

Rumplestiltskin:

 

They hadn’t gotten any farther in dealing with Cora. No matter what they thought of, it wouldn’t work. And it didn’t help that they couldn’t find her. The dwarves were patrolling town, and most of the townspeople stayed in their houses with the doors locked.

Storybrooke was in lockdown. 

They were in one of many long, seemingly pointless meetings when Happy burst into the room, looking terrified.

“Cora’s striking. She’s at the edge of town, destroying houses. She’s gotten three in already! She wants Regina!” Happy said in one rushed breath. Everyone lurched to their feet. 

Regina looked uneasy but didn’t say anything. She looked at Rumplestiltskin and nodded before disappearing.

“Take us with! We need to see what’s happening!” Mary Margaret demanded, fear in her eyes. Rumplestiltskin sighed quietly before nodding.

And then they were all in the town in front of Cora.

“And here I thought you would comply. Oh well. It was a nice thought,” Cora said, almost disinterested. 

“You aren’t going to take Regina!” Mary Margaret said firmly, glaring at her.

“Oh, my dear, you don’t have a choice” Cora said, her tone condescending. 

“HEY!” a voice shouted from behind Cora, near the woods. Every head swiveled in that direction.

Rumplestiltskin had to ignore the sickening feeling that came with that lone word.

A moment later, Rose appeared behind Cora while she still looked in the woods. Looking positively furious. And possibly murderous.

Before Cora could turn back around, dark magic had disabled her. She was hovering in the air, eyes wide, mouth gasping for air. 

“Do you have any idea how hard I’ve worked to get back here? To find my family? And you’re trying to threaten it,” Rose said menacingly. Cora was thrown against a tree, hard. 

“Rose!” Lacey cried from the woods. She stumbled out, followed closely by Belle, Philip, Mulan, Aurora, the man who’d arrived with Rose, and another man Rumplestiltskin had not seen before. 

However, Rumplestiltskin’s eyes strayed back to Cora.

Who had yet to move. 

Or even draw a breath. 

“Rose,” Rumplestiltskin said, staring at his daughter. Rose turned to him, looking indifferent. But there was a coldness in her stare. 

One that looked eerily familiar yet at the same time much harder than he’d ever seen. 

“Is she…dead?” Mary Margaret asked, eyes wide, horrified. Rose shrugged.

“Would it matter? She was threatening the town. And my family,” Rose said defiantly, angrily. 

Regina, who just seemed to come to grasps with what had happened, broke down crying. Mary Margaret hurried over to her, wrapping her arms around the older woman while she sobbed. 

Belle, who had been making her way towards them, threw herself into Rumplestiltskin’s unsuspecting arms. After a moment of clinging to him, she pulled back.

“I’m scared,” she said quietly.

And, at that moment, he understood exactly what she meant.

 

They went to his house. Bae, Rose, Lacey, and Belle. Rose’s friend, who introduced himself as the Knave of Hearts, wanted to come too but Belle reassured him that it was a family matter and that his friends would want to catch up with him.

It was a family matter.

They were finally together. Their whole family, complete. But it didn’t feel like it ought to. What should have been a moment filled with happiness and delight and tears was not. It was filled with uncertainty, unease. Discomfort. 

Rose had killed someone in front of them without batting an eyelash. From what Belle had whispered to him before greeting Bae in the living room, it wasn’t the first time she’d lashed out with her dark magic. 

When she’d been younger, she’d been so full of good magic. But now? Now it seemed like the dark magic was consuming her. And he didn’t know how to stop it. 

How had it stopped consuming him? Had it ever? 

It had. Belle and his children stopped it. 

He had no idea how to stop it from consuming Rose as it was. He desperately hoped that being around them, her complete family, could stop it.

But what if he was wrong? What if that only hurt them and corrupted Lacey? 

He walked back into the living room, taking a seat on the couch next to Belle and Bae. 

After all those years of searching, of fighting to find and reunite his family, this was never what he’d expected.

Belle was still upset over learning her part in the death of Maleficent’s fiancée. And she probably never would find out exactly what she’d done. 

Bae was still angry at him. He wasn’t as angry as he’d been when he first arrived at Storybrooke, but it was obvious he was still mad. 

Rose was turning dark. And angry. And more like him than he wanted to see. 

Lacey was the only one who acted as he’d hoped everyone would happen. Completely overjoyed with being complete once more. And everyone humored her.

But he knew that that was all it was. 

Mary Margaret had called him earlier to say Regina was furious over what had happened but Henry was working on calming her down.

One day, maybe, they would be a happy family again. They would be happy and good. And there wouldn’t be things like deaths hanging over their heads. 

They were together again. The next step for them would be to be a family again.

And who knew if that could ever happen?

 

The End


	37. Epilogue

5 years later

 

Lacey

She was out in the woods alone, near the old wishing well, thinking.

Well, partially thinking. She was trying to conjure up a cloak for her newest little brother’s birthday. Unlike her sister, her magic hadn’t gotten stronger as she’d grown older. 

She sighed as she thought of Rose. The pieces of the cloak fell to the ground as her mind was filled with the thought of her wayward sister. Rose wasn’t using dark magic as exclusively as she had when the curse had been broken, but she stuck mainly to dark magic. Dark magic came easier to her than good magic did. The Knave was living with her, trying to bring out the good in her. 

Lacey wasn’t sure if he’d ever succeed. 

Her father and mother were finally happy. There had been a year or two of unhappiness where all her mother could think about was her desire for knowledge, knowledge of herself and the properties of good magic. It had taken a good deal of time, but once she’d learned what had happened, she’d been able to rescue Adam’s soul. 

It was a shame Maleficent’s soul was gone. 

Adam had left after being rescued to try and find his once-love’s soul, promising that when he found her, he’d tell her what good they’d done and keep her off the path of vengeance. Lacey assumed he’d succeeded or died looking for her, for they hadn’t seen or heard a word from Maleficent since the Wraith consumed her soul. 

The thought still upset Lacey. She knew Maleficent hadn’t cared for her, but for five years of her life, Maleficent had been the only parent in her life. And that mattered to her. She sighed, trying to push the negative thoughts from her mind.

The cloak started floating once more as she focused on it. She knew it would have been easier to magick a completed cloak, but she wanted to create it. She had no talent with knitting or sewing, however, so making it by hand was out of the question. But she knew cloaks. She spent a few hours one night researching everything she could of cloaks so she could make her baby brother the best cloak he’d ever have. 

She wanted only the best for his third birthday.

After her mother and father had righted the mystery of her mother’s past, they got happy. And had her little brother. Little Peter. Her father refused to give them a backstory behind the name, but he’d never given them a backstory for anyone else’s names. Why would he start now?

All she knew was that little Peter’s name held much more meaning than any of the rest of their names. And she knew that one day, she’d figure out what it meant. 

The cloak was slowly being knitted together as she concentrated on it. She focused strand after strand of magic into the cloak, hoping it would be perfect when it was completed. She’d made one for herself, first, as a trial run. She was wearing it now even. She’d wanted to make sure that creating a cloak from magic would have no side effects before allowing her little brother to have it.

Soon, Lacey figured, she’d have to make little cloaks for all of her friends’ babies. The babies that had yet to be born, but would be any time. Henry and Grace were speaking of getting married as soon as they both officially turned eighteen. Emma and Bae got married and Emma was expecting another baby. Ali was thrilled that she’d be getting a brother or a sister soon, and Lacey was thrilled to be an aunt once more.

Rose could care less either way. 

She had only just finished creating the cloak when she was aware of another presence, a presence behind her. She reached out and took the cloak before turning slowly.

Sitting on a rock, watching her carefully, was a boy. She called him a boy, but Lacey could tell he was much older than her. Years and countless years older than her. He was watching her intently, a smirk on his face.

“Who are you?” she asked calmly, tucking the tiny cloak into her own. The boy pushed himself off of the rock, moving towards her with a purpose.

“That’s a nice parlor trick you have there,” he said. Lacey jutted her chin out defiantly.

“It’s not a parlor trick. You didn’t answer my question,” she pointed out, irritated. 

“No. I didn’t. You don’t need to know my name, Lacey. Because I know yours. And I know how to make your dreams come true,” he told her, moving closer. Lacey tilted her head, staring at him. He knew her name. He thought he knew what her dreams were. Who was he? Was he an enemy of her family?

That was a silly question. Almost everyone was an enemy of her family. Of course this strange boy was an enemy of her family.

And how did he know how to make her dreams come true? What did he know of her dreams? What did she even know of her dreams?

“You don’t know my dreams,” Lacey told him fiercely.

“No? But I do. You want your sister to be good again. That’s what you want. And I can make it happen,” he said. He had a cocky expression on his face, one that had Lacey worried. But she wasn’t going to let him know that. 

“It doesn’t matter. What could you do?” she scoffed at him. In an instant his hand was at her throat. Lacey resisted the urge to appear frightened. Instead, she allowed an eyebrow to raise at him.

And promptly threw him backwards.

He was shocked when he got up.

“You’ve really got some power in you, don’tcha?” he asked with another grin before heading back towards her.

“Yes. I do. You should leave. Now,” she said. The boy was freaking her out slightly. More than slightly. He was alarming her quickly. 

Her mind instantly reached out for Rose, only for the boy to slap her.

“Now, that’s not nice. We were having a private conversation. There isn’t a need to call in someone else,” the boy said.

“Who are you?” Lacey repeated. 

The boy’s smirk returned full-force.

“The name’s Peter. Peter Pan. And I’m your grandfather,” he said. Lacey stared at him for a moment, thinking. She’d met her mother’s father. So that meant he was her father’s father.

Seems as how her father had never mentioned him, she assumed he was either dead or evil.

“So that’s where Daddy dearest got the name. I was wondering.”

The voice came from behind them. Both Lacey and Peter Pan spun to see Rose leaning against a tree, examining her fingernails. Ali was standing next to her, wide-eyed.

“So you’re Rose. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Peter Pan said, stepping closer to her. Rose flicked her wrist, effectively pinning him against the nearest tree with magic.

“Ah ah ah. You don’t have very many manners, do you? I just heard you threatening my sister. No one threatens my family,” Rose said, glancing up for the first time. She pierced Pan with a glare so fierce it nearly had Lacey in tears. 

She waved her hand and a box appeared. Peter Pan’s eyes widened and he shook his head, but Rose just gave him a smirk.

“No! Don’t kill him!” Ali exclaimed, lunging at Rose. Rose glanced down at the nine year old blankly.

“He’s threatening our family,” she said. Lacey glanced in between her sister and niece and Pan, who looked more than a little apprehensive at the sight of the box. 

“But you shouldn’t kill him. He’s my great-grandpa,” Ali said, glancing at him.

“He’s not good,” Lacey added, although she didn’t know what to do either. Rose sighed and glanced back at her niece before glaring up at Peter Pan.

“Leave. If you ever come near our family, I’ll kill you,” she said. Peter Pan’s apprehension melted into ease. He turned to leave, but stepped right next to Lacey 

“I’ll never step foot in Storybrooke again, but I’ll always be here. I’ll be in your mind, Lacey. Always. I won’t always be in the front of your mind, but I’ll always be there, in that place in between awake and dreams. You’ll always wonder what I would have offered to make your sister good. And you’ll call me back one day,” Pan promised quietly before he jumped off the ground and flew right out of sight. 

“I’m gonna cast a spell to keep that bastard out,” Rose said. 

“Bastard’s a bad word,” Ali pointed out, only for Rose to smile and ruffle her hair. 

“Yes it is,” Rose said affectionately before magicking them all back into the center of town. 

Charming almost hit them with his truck but swerved at the last minute. He leapt out of the car, terrified.

“Rose! I almost hit you! All of you!” he exclaimed, but Rose waved him off.

“We’d have been fine,” she said before walking off. The moment she did, Ali turned to Lacey.

“I’m changing her! Knave said I could, and I am!” Ali said excitedly.

“What do you mean?” Charming asked, staring down at his grandchild curiously.

“Knave told me that a gypsy once told them that a little girl would be the key to turning Rose good again. It’s me! He thought it was Lacey, but she didn’t, so he thinks it’s me! She would have killed Peter Pan if I hadn’t been there!” Ali said happily.

“Who’s Peter Pan?” Charming asked, eyes landing on Lacey. She shook her head.

“I haven’t the slightest. Only that he’s bad. And Rose banished him,” Lacey informed the king. Charming nodded before wrapping an arm around Ali.

“Let’s get going. Snow was gonna make cookies,” he offered and Ali’s entire face lit up.

“Bye Lacey! See you later!” she called out as she scampered into the passenger side of Charming’s truck. Lacey chuckled at the sight before entering her father’s shop.

He was sitting in the front, tinkering with something small. When he saw Lacey, he got to his feet instantly.

“Where have you been?” he asked sternly. 

“In the woods. Trying to make the cloak. I think it’s finished,” she said, handing the cloak to her father before examining the shop. Her little brother was nowhere in sight.

“He’s with your mother,” Rumplestiltskin told her absently as he examined the craftsmanship of the cloak. He smiled at his daughter.

“You did an excellent job. Peter’ll love it,” he told his daughter affectionately. 

“I met Peter’s namesake today,” Lacey said, knowing it would be better to tell her father now as opposed to him finding out later. The cloak slid from Rumplestiltskin’s hands.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” he asked, alarmed. Lacey shook her head.

“Rose showed up and kicked his ass. Butt. She showed up and kicked his butt,” Lacey amended quickly. Rumplestiltskin’s eyebrow raised at her correction but he said nothing to her.

“What did she do?” he asked quickly.

“She made him leave and cast a spell to keep him from ever returning,” Lacey explained. Rumplestiltskin still looked apprehensive but he nodded nonetheless.

“Good. Good. If you ever see him again, tell me immediately. And don’t listen to a word he says. That boy is a dreadful liar,” Rumplestiltskin warned. Lacey nodded, but was still mulling over his words. She pushed them out of her mind, hoping they wouldn’t come back.

But she knew they would.

“He said he was my grandfather. Is he?” Lacey asked as her father started walking away. Rumplestiltskin hesitated before he disappeared into the back of his shop. He came back with some wrapping paper for Lacey to use to wrap the cloak with. Lacey took the paper from him, spreading it out slightly. 

Waiting for her father to answer.

“Yes. Once upon a time, the man now known as Peter Pan would have been your grandfather. But he isn’t anymore. He is nothing like he used to be. And I would rather you not call him your grandfather,” Rumplestiltskin told her. Lacey nodded.

“Can you pass me some ribbon?” Lacey asked her father, knowing he was done talking with what he wants to say. Rumplestiltskin handed her the ribbon and she artfully tied the cloak up.

“Do you want to hide it here so your brother doesn’t find it?” her father offered. Lacey smiled at her father and nodded, moving towards where the books were stored. Peter had yet to learn to read and while he still liked looking at books, he never ventured towards the top shelf. Lacey stood on the chair and shoved books out of the way so she could hide the tiny package behind the books only her mother examined anymore. 

In fact, Lacey was pretty sure all the books on the top shelf already belonged to her mother and were merely books that didn’t fit into their massive library at home. 

She smiled at her father and made her way out of the shop.

 

When she arrived home, her mother was reading. Belle read all the time. Rose once told her that Belle didn’t know how to read until a little after Lacey had been born. Lacey couldn’t imagine her mother not reading. Her mother read constantly, as if she were trying to devour every bit of wisdom books had to offer in as little time as possible. 

Lacey crawled onto the couch next to her mother, reading the words over her shoulder. It was a children’s French book. It looked like her mother was trying to learn French. Lacey had learnt French a few years ago, right after the curse had broken. Rumplestiltskin helped her learn as many languages as she could wrap her mind around. 

Belle was still struggling with French, and she’d begun learning about the time Lacey had. Lacey knew better than to mention it to her mother, but it did slightly irritate her when she finished reading the page and waited a good ten minutes before her mother was ready to turn the page. 

Belle must’ve sensed Lacey’s frustration because she placed a bookmark in the book and closed it, looking up at Lacey.

“Did you finish your brother’s birthday present?” Belle asked. Lacey nodded.

“I hid it too. I don’t trust the rascal,” Lacey said loudly. She heard giggling from the other room, only to see little Peter run into the room. 

“But I wanna have it now!” he begged, grabbing Lacey’s arm. She smiled affectionately at her brother before shaking her head.

“You still have a week!” she told him before picking him up and hugging him tightly. Peter struggled against his sister’s grip until she sat him down. He stuck his tongue out at her and ran off to the other room.

“Any signs of magic yet?” Lacey asked her mother. It was a common question in the household. Every day, both Lacey and Rose asked their mother about Peter’s magical tendencies. 

Still though, even with all the magic in his family tree, Peter showed no signs of having magic.

“No. And I can’t say I’m disappointed. Bae came over and was ecstatic to see his non-magical brother. Magic isn’t always a gift,” Belle told her daughter. Lacey nodded. Because she understood. Not as much as Rose and Bae and her parents understood, but she still understood.

 

That night, she went to bed earlier than usual. And the moment her eyes were closed, all she could hear were Peter Pan’s words. Could he save Rose? Would he save Rose? Rose didn’t like him. Her father didn’t like him. 

Even she had a bad feeling about him.

Everything about him set her off, made her uncomfortable. But she couldn’t get his words out of her head.

What did he mean when he said he’d never truly leave? Rose was more powerful than him. That much had been made obvious. Her father was the Dark One. Her older sister was almost as powerful as him. She shouldn’t have to worry about this…this boy.

She finally opened her eyes, realizing sleep wasn’t going to come. A feeling of unease settled in her as she pushed herself out of the bed, padding around the hallways. She didn’t know where she was planning on going, but she followed her instincts and instincts alone. She contemplated calling he sister, but thought better of it. Rose wouldn’t be happy to show up because Lacey just got a bad feeling. 

She stopped outside of little Peter’s room. Lacey quietly opened the door. Her brother would have been asleep for about five hours by that point. But she got this aching feeling.

The lights were out. Peter was in bed. But Peter wasn’t alone.

Peter Pan was sitting on the window seat, arms crossed, eyes on her.

“Hello. I told you we’d meet again,” he said pleasantly. Lacey’s eyes widened and she quickly crossed the room, hoping they wouldn’t wake up Peter.

“Rose banished you. You aren’t able to be here,” Lacey hissed. Peter Pan laughed at her, shaking his head.

“You’re endearing. I’m not here. Go ahead. Try touching me,” he said, standing up. Lacey eyed him suspiciously before swinging her fist at him. Her fist went right through his face.

“Told you. I’m not physically here. But I can still do damage,” he informed her as his grin spread. Lacey was shoved against the wall before she could blink. But she couldn’t fight back. She couldn’t move. 

“Then how?” Lacey asked, the words coming out in a whisper. Peter Pan’s grin stretched across his face as he pointed at sleeping Peter.

“That boy. He’s why I’m here. He’s dreaming of me. When someone dreams of me, I come. As long as he dreams of me, I have free reign of this town. Unless you want to keep him awake until you can find a way to keep me out,” Peter Pan said, tilting his head sideways as he smirked.

“Whatever you can imagine, you can do?” Lacey asked. Peter Pan shook his head, a scowl appearing.

“No. Only in Neverland. Would you like to see Neverland?” Peter Pan asked, but it wasn’t a question. Lacey didn’t hesitate to call Rose there.

 

But by the time Rose got there, Pan was gone.

 

The weeks slid by. Every night, no matter how hard Rose tried, Pan continued showing up. He came every night. The first week or so, she all but slept in Peter’s room to keep Pan from her, but it didn’t take long for Pan to start appearing in her own dreams. He haunted her every moment, even during the daylight. She started seeing him in reflections behind her, in puddles, sometimes even in the shadows. 

It was driving her to insanity.

It all came to a head on Peter’s birthday. She’d gotten next to no sleep the night before. She couldn’t. Every time she went to sleep, she’d see his face hovering over her, grinning at her. When Peter’d burst into her room to let her know that breakfast was ready, he found her sitting on the window seat, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. 

Peter ran downstairs and got his parents, bringing them upstairs. When they got there, Lacey hadn’t moved. She didn’t move until Rumplestiltskin touched her shoulders. She jumped, eyes meeting her father’s in fear. 

“Lacey,” Rumplestiltskin started, but Lacey quickly shook her head.

“No. You don’t understand,” she tried, but Rumplestiltskin waved his hand.

“No. We don’t. We can’t understand what you won’t tell us,” Rumplestiltskin told her sternly. Lacey’s eyes landed on Peter. Her father followed her gaze and nodded.

“Belle, why don’t you take Peter downstairs? You two can go ahead and start eating,” Rumplestiltskin suggested. Belle nodded but sent her daughter a worried glance before ushering their son out of the room. As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, Rumplestiltskin sat down next to Lacey on the window seat.

“Now, what’s been bothering you?” Rumplestiltskin asked her. Lacey sighed, lowering her head. She didn’t even meet his eyes.

“It’s Pan. He won’t leave me alone,” Lacey finally said, her eyes meeting Rumplestiltskin’s. They were full of anguish and despair. 

“Lace, Pan’s not here. He can’t be here. Rose and I both ensured that he could never enter Storybrooke,” Rumplestiltskin said slowly. Rose shook her head.

“No. He can be anywhere. He can come here as long as someone dreams of him or thinks of him. And Peter was dreaming of him. When Peter finally slowed down, I couldn’t get him out of my head. He won’t go away. I see him everywhere!” Lacey admitted, tears forming in her eyes. Her father shook her head.

“Papa, we have to kill him!” she cried, terrified.

“No. We don’t need to kill anyone. We are safe here,” Rumplestiltskin tried calming his daughter, but she shook her head.

“We aren’t! We have to kill him,” Lacey repeated.

“You can’t kill an idea.”

The voice came from behind them. Both turned to see Rose leaning against the closed door.

“Mom called me. Said she was worried about you,” Rose said, pushing herself off of the door. 

“What do you mean? Peter Pan’s not an idea!” Lacey defended herself, squaring her shoulders instantly. Rose sighed before squeezing herself in between Rumplestiltskin and Rose on the window seat.

“Peter Pan is more idea than reality. Papa, haven’t you told her of how Peter Pan came to be?” Rose turned to their father. Rumplestiltskin hesitated before shaking his head. Rose sighed loudly before shaking her head.

“Peter Pan used to be Papa’s papa, but using the ideals of Neverland transformed himself back into a boy. He’s an idea altogether. And what you’re seeing? It’s not really Pan. I’d know. Trust me,” Rose reassured her younger sister. But Lacey refused to be reassured.

“You’re not the one seeing him everywhere!” Lacey scoffed. Rose waved a glowing hand over Lacey’s face. She nodded.

“No. I’m not. And neither are you. Pan has not been in Storybrooke since our meeting him. Something he said is driving you crazy. That’s what’s happening. He planted an idea in you. About me. He said he could fix me. But you know better than to trust him,” Rose summarized everything that had been running through Lacey’s head. Lacey nodded, eyes wide.

“He can’t fix me. He wanted you. No. He wanted you to get to Henry. He’s still after Henry. He’s been after Henry for years. He was lying to you to try to get you to betray Henry, Lace. He had no intentions of trying to help me, nor did he have the ability to help me,” Rose told her sister.

“And so the idea planted itself in your head and you’ve spent weeks regretting and poring over the details. You’re seeing a physical representation of your emotions. Pan is not here. The Pan you’ve been seeing isn’t real,” Rose finished. Lacey’s eyes were wide.

“I’m…not seeing Pan?” Lacey asked slowly for clarification. Rose shook her head, a smile already on her face. But Lacey wasn’t happy.

“Does that mean I’m going crazy?” Lacey asked in a small voice. Rose shook her head quickly.

“Of course not. You were born crazy,” Rose said, ruffling her sister’s hair before helping her up.

“Come on. You need some sleep if you want to be worth anything at Peter’s party tonight,” Rose told her sister. She helped Lacey into bed and Lacey was out before Rose could finish pulling the blanket over Lacey. Her and Rumplestiltskin left the room, closing the door tightly.

“You did good,” Rumplestiltskin praised his daughter. Rose tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. 

“Thanks. It felt good,” Rose admitted.

“Have you ever thought of trying to study psychology? That sounded like the sort of thing Jiminy Cricket used to say when he was Archie Hopper,” Rumplestiltskin asked. Rose shook her head.

“I might talk to him about it. But we have a bigger problem right now,” Rose said grimly. 

“What?” her father asked in alarm. 

“I lied. Peter Pan was here.”

 

Rose:

 

Her and Knave left the day after Peter’s birthday. Lacey was doing much better, but Rose wasn’t. She knew what had happened. Although everything she said to Lacey was true, Pan was coming and going, despite her spell to keep him out. The thought infuriated her. She’d wanted to go alone but Knave refused to let her. 

They were in their car on the way out of town to contact Pan. Rose had the box she’d told Lacey before she wouldn’t use on her. The box that would capture and then end Pan. Lacey didn’t know what was going to happen.

As long as she continued believing Peter Pan couldn’t hurt her, she’d be fine. 

They’d only just crossed the town line when Ali popped up in the backseat.

“So what’s the plan?” she asked cheerfully. Knave’s head spun around, the car swerving slightly.

“Ali! What are you doing?” Knave exclaimed. Ali buckled herself in, beaming at the two of them.

“Joining you, of course. You might need my help,” she said with a smile.

“Your help?” Rose repeated skeptically. Ali nodded eagerly.

“I’ve got good magic on hand in case you need it,” Ali pointed out. 

“I have good magic in me too,” Rose scoffed, but Ali shook her head.

“But you won’t use it! What’s the plan?” she asked once more. 

“The plan is to take you back home,” Knave said, slowing down.

“No. We need to hurry up and do this. We can leave her in the car,” Rose said absently. Knave shot her a look which she artfully ignored. They pulled over to the side of the road and parked the car before traipsing a ways outside into the woods. 

Once they were a good distance from the road, Rose stopped them.

“You didn’t have to come all the way out here just for little old me,” a voice said from behind them. Knave and Ali spun around, but Rose kept her back to him. She had a feeling it would make him mad. And if he was mad, he was more likely to slip up. 

“We didn’t. We wanted to take Ali on a picnic but Knave forgot the lunch. Good job,” Rose said carelessly. Peter Pan appeared in front of her. 

“Are you too good to look at me now?” Pan taunted her. Rose tilted her head, not even sparing a word for him. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking of,” Rose said, keeping her voice as level as she could. Pan’s grin stretched across his face.

“I think you do. See, just because the shadow didn’t come to take you to Neverland doesn’t mean I didn’t hear your pleas,” Pan said smugly. Rose felt herself involuntarily stiffen at his words. She’d forgotten about that. She’d forgotten of the years she’d spent at her window in Bae’s apartment, wishing Peter Pan would arrive and take her on an adventure, an adventure that could possibly lead her to her parents. 

“Oh yes. I know all about your desire for adventure. I heard your pleas every night. But you weren’t the right one. So we left you,” Pan said smugly. He laughed at his words, casting a careless gaze over at Knave and Ali.

And promptly froze.

“You,” he said, eyes wide. Rose turned this time. He was looking right at Ali. 

“Me,” Ali retorted snidely, placing both hands on her hips. 

“But…it was supposed to be the boy. The image looked just like a boy,” Pan stuttered. A boy? Henry? Rose examined Ali closely. The girl had decided to get a haircut two months ago. She’d shaved her entire head to be like a little girl in her class who had cancer. That was before she realized the girl would be healed before she lost all of her hair. 

Ali’s hair was only a few inches long and, at that length, did make her look rather boyish. And the more Rose looked at her, the more she could see Henry’s features in her face. 

The color drained from Rose’s face. She glanced back at Pan, who was now examining a cloth like image. One of Rose. Or Henry. It was hard to tell.

“There are two of them,” Pan murmured. Ali glared hatefully at him.

“I don’t like you. Go in the box,” Ali ordered. Pan stiffened at her words but didn’t move. Almost as if he couldn’t.

“Rose, open the box,” Knave ordered, eyes focused only on Pan. 

“Don’t open the box. You still want adventure,” Pan finally pulled himself from his stupor. 

“She doesn’t need adventure. She has us,” Knave pointed out.

“We’re an adventure for her,” Ali added. Rose glanced between the two of them, struck by their words.

They were right.

She opened the box, watching as Pan was sucked into it. As soon as he vanished from sight, she closed the box tightly. She placed the box on the ground and immediately sent lightning at it. After a few hits, the box more of a blob than a box. One that could no longer open. Rose picked it back up, tucking it carefully into her pocket. 

“Come on. Let’s go home,” Knave said with a smile.

“Let’s go back from the adventure!” Ali cheered. 

“Sure kid. Let’s go home,” Rose said, following Ali as she raced to the car. Knave smiled at her and slipped his hand into hers.

“You seem different today. Ever since you came home from talking to Lacey yesterday. What happened?” Knave asked her curiously. Rose shrugged.

“I was thinking about taking some online courses in psychology. Papa suggested it. It…well, it felt nice helping Lacey feel better,” Rose admitted. Her confession made Knave’s entire face light up with a smile. 

“I might’ve been wrong. The gypsy had been talking about Lacey when she said a little girl would help you,” Knave said. Rose frowned at his words.

“I don’t need helped,” Rose protested, as she always did whenever Knave brought the gypsy up. 

“No. Maybe not anymore. Don’t you see? You feel better when you’re helping people. You want to be good. You want to help people,” Knave said excitedly. 

“I just like doing it. That doesn’t mean I’m meant for good magic. Good magic is weak,” Rose said automatically. 

Knave merely smiled.

“Whatever you say.”


End file.
